Hagane no Kei-chan
by Dedmutt
Summary: "That was a warning shot. Come out now and I won't shoot again. If you don't, there will be more than a warning shot." I gulped. He's dead serious. "And I only need one." ...I think I almost peed my pants. Probable pairings, OCx? dunno. Rated T for angsty trauma and OC's mouth. Also Gokudera's mouth.
1. A Little TLC

**A/N:**

**Okay. Okay. Holy shit. This is my first upload, not technically my first fanfic, and definitely not my first story (however I've never finished one before). Personally I prefer longer chapters, but I now realize how AWFUL it is to write long chapters.**

**Seriously, whoever writes long chapters is amazing. Get yerself some pancakes.**

**Anyways, in my humble opinion as a writer/reader, the writing of this story isn't _absolute_****shit. That said, I am very, VERY open to any and all criticism. Hell, since I have no self esteem, I'll even take flames. But please bear in mind that I have three and a half chapters including this one already written. If your suggestion bears truth and if I can work with it, I'll see what I can do to change and I'll even see about giving you props in the author's note! How 'bout that?!**

**Okay, so here's a bit of a key for Kaylin's (OC's) speech patterns.**

**"This is her speaking in English. Itallics mean she's _really _speaking English. With oomph."**

"This means she is speaking in regular Japanese."

**_This is her thinking specifically in English in 1st person._**

**_'This is the same in 3rd person.'_**

**The thinking part doesn't really matter so I'll probably get lazy about that. Sorry.**

**OKAY. Here you go. PLEASE leave even a short review. I'll take every one into consideration.**

**ps beta-read for beta-read hit me up ;D**

* * *

><p>"Ne, ne, did you hear? Apparently there's going to be a transfer student today."<p>

Tsuna's ears perked up. _He _hadn't heard, yet.

"Oh, you heard that, too? I thought it might be a rumor since it's so early in the year..."

"No, I heard it, too! The teachers were talking about it in the lounge when I walked by."

So it was true? Like the others, Tsuna wondered what they'd be like. He listened further to the small crowd at the front of the class while he settled down into his seat. (He was actually on time today.)

"I heard it was a pretty foreign girl!"

"Eeh? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, I heard it myself!"

"I also heard she's from America."

"Eeeh? Do you think she'll be scary, then?"

"I doubt a pretty girl would be scary..."

"You can't be sure of something like that just because of someone's looks, you know."

"Don't Americans have short tempers, though?"

"It's probably a lack of calcium..."

"Probably."

"Nobody wants to talk about calcium!"

"I heard from someone that she has a mysterious background..."

"Eh? That definitely sounds like a rumor! Where did you hear that?"

_Giggles._ "Maybe she's in the mafia~"

Tsuna scoffed a little to himself; what kind of middle schooler would be in the mafia?

The door to the classroom slid open and everyone scampered to their seats, gossiping cut short. The teacher, one Nezu-sensei (Tsuna inwardly cringed at the teacher that seemed to take pleasure in humiliating him), walked to the podium and settled in, sighing like he knew this would be a long day. He then cleared his throat and glared at the class, particularly Tsuna, for whatever reason.

"Stand."

_Collective scrape._

"Bow."

_Whoosh._

"Be seated."

_Disjointed scrapes and plops._

Nezu cleared his throat again, looking like the proceedings would be beneath him. "As I'm sure many of you are aware, a transfer student will be joining the class today." He waited impatiently for the brief whispers to die down. "They are a transfer student from America." More whispers. "Now, their Japanese may not be very good, but you are nonetheless expected to make them comfortable and help them in any way you can." He sighed and turned his head to the door.

"You may come in," he called.

Though it was quiet before, there was more of a hush as the door rattled a bit. There was a pause and a disgruntled mutter behind the door, breaking the tense atmosphere for a second. Tsuna sweatdropped. But everyone stiffened again when the door (successfully) slid open. Tsuna cringed as horrible scenarios automatically flew through his mind as he recalled his classmates' musings of how scary she could be.

As the door slid open everyone straightened in anticipation. A trouser-clad leg swung into view, and a few students blinked. Were the rumors mistaken, then? But as the rest of the person in question stepped in, those suspicions were promptly squashed.

Said transfer student wore the male uniform: normal slacks and the simple shirt of the school uniform with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, a wristband affixed below the right elbow - no jacket in sight. Under the uniform was a distinctly feminine figure. Added to that, the long, blood red hair braided down her back and the features of her face made her gender _extremely_ hard to miss.

She reached the teacher's side and swung her gaze of cold steel to the students. Tsuna jerked a little in his seat, as did a few classmates; those eyes were _intense! _It almost looked like she was glaring at them for simply existing. In contrast to her (seemingly) pissed off look, she clasped her hands in front of her and seemed to be fidgeting...

Tsuna noticed this, of course, and sweatdropped. _Is she angry or nervous?_

Nezu spoke after the foreign student suffered for a few seconds.

"You may introduce yourself, now."

The girl stiffened and swallowed. The class, still miraculously silent, leaned forward with bated breath.

* * *

><p>I was nearly positive my heart was palpitating as the teacher (whose name I hadn't bothered to learn yet) called me into the classroom. I stiffened. I heard reassuring squeaks from inside of my school case. That was only enough to allow me to move. But, it <em>was <em>enough.

I reached forward with a shaky hand and gripped the unusual handle and pulled.

_Sliding door._

**"Oh, Son of a bitch..."**

I slowly _slid_ the door open, manually breathing so I didn't faint. It had been so damn _long_ since I was in any kind of school environment. _And_ these kids were all Japanese. Hina had assured me that my accent wasn't absolutely horrendous, but what did she know? She couldn't physically _speak_ it.

I tried to square my shoulders and swung my foot forward. It seemed there was a hush in the classroom, and that only made it worse. I struggled to keep my steps smooth and non-rushed. No need to trip.

No immediate laughter. Good. No sniffs of disdain. Also good. No one spontaneously combusting. Very good!

All too quickly it was time for me to turn and face the possibly vicious, ravenous, bloodthirsty, _demonic_-

Struggling to keep my face even, I stared. They stared back. Although it looked like some of them twitched.

_Don't panic don't panic don't panic don't _fucking _panic-_

"You may introduce yourself, now."

I stiffened. My mouth instantaneously went dry. I swallowed.

_Dear gods of the land and Buddha, don't _panic,_ Kei!_

I took a deep breath. Deeper breath. Held it. Ignored the inquisitive stares of the maybe-demon spawn. No, they're just middle schoolers, they can't be that bad. Probably. Remember to enunciate your words. Roll the 'r's. At _least_ speak politely for the introductions, holy shit.

_Exhale._

"My name is Steele, Kaylin. Pleased to meet you."

* * *

><p>There was immediately a small eruption of whispers as the new student introduced herself and bowed politely.<p>

"Look at her hair!"

"I told you she was pretty."

"She doesn't _seem_ scary..."

"But look at here eyes! She was glaring the second she walked in!"

"She's clearly just nervous."

"She's tall for a girl!"

"Holy shit, don't you think she's a babe?"

"Eh? You're into that type?"

"But look!"

"Well, her hair is really pretty."

"Are you blind? So's her face!"

"Ah, I think she's blushing." The students hushed somewhat.

Indeed, her body was stiff and she seemed to be scowling. There was _just _a dusting of pink on her cheeks and nose.

_She _is _kind of cute like that. _Tsuna blinked at the thought and shook his head fervently. He glanced at Kyoko who sat near the door at the front of the classroom. She was smiling sweetly, like she usually did. Tsuna flushed a little and looked back at the board. _Yeah, I definitely like Kyoko-chan._

_Why are these idiots freaking out just because I'm a foreigner? _Some of the comments I heard made me cringe. _It's my hair, isn't it? Maybe I should have dyed it, after all..._

I inwardly shook my head and cleared my thougths. Not happening. The brats would get used to it sooner or later.

My attention was immediately drawn to a fuzzy, shaking head. I blinked.

_Assess._

_Age, approximately 13 years old. Pre-pubescent. Height, approximately 160 cm. Weight, under 50 kilograms. Muscle mass, minimal. By studying body posture and language, as well as physiological phenomena such as pulse and apparent blood pressure, it can be assumed that this male is timid in nature, but easily agitated. Current emotional state seems to be flustered._

_Potential threat: zero._

_Current threat: zero._

_Presumed identity from memorized images and reports of demeanor:_

_Sawada Tsunayoshi._

I blinked. I quickly averted my gaze to avoid staring. That would be my target. _No,_ I thought, _no more targets. Not anymore._ That would be the individual I would be watching and/or guarding for a while. At least until his candidacy is announced, as I knew it would be. _The Ninth doesn't really have any other options. _Then I'd see what I could do about joining the family.

A cleared throat. I shifted my eyes to the teacher. While that Assessment only took about 4 seconds (I was rusty, okay?), I paused long enough to appear to be dawdling. He opened his mouth to speak, but I moved before he got the chance to say much.

"Steele-san-" he started.

I shot him a look that _maybe_ wouldn't be construed as a complete glare and interrupted him. "I'll take my seat, now." I walked over to an empty seat behind and to the left of Tsuna (I learned from my brief contact with his father that that's what he was generally called). I took my seat and gave the nearly-sputtering teacher a polite look while tilting my head in a _hopefully _innocent and totally _not challenging_ way. Maybe that'd convince him that I simply didn't expect to not pick my own seat.

There were a few whispers and glances at me, a few snickers. I quickly glanced to Tsuna, who seemed to be in dead-panned disbelief. He noticed my attention and "hiiee"d a little, swinging his head around to face forward. Oops.

_...What's a "hiiee"?_

The (stupid-looking) teacher closed his mouth and seemed to come to some conclusion that I'm sure was somehow wrong. Oh, good. He promptly sneered at me and turned around to begin writing on the board, like the whole thing didn't happen.

Okay, I decided right then that I didn't care if I was on his good side or not. I was pretty sure he was a douchebag. Whatever. I pulled out my small rectangular instant-translation device. I assumed Asshat-sensei was informed of my hiragana/katakana/kanji ineptitude.

I'm working on it, okay?

* * *

><p>Lunch was announced and I unceremoniously dropped my head to my desk with a great <em>thunk.<em> I heard Tsuna _"hiiee!" _and I chuckled quietly. Then my shoulders slumped some more and I raised my forehead from the desk just to drop it again with another _thunk._

_I pray for the soul of whoever has to fix this kid up to be a proper mafia boss._

I frowned a bit for Tsuna as well. I glanced at him through my long fringe as he began to pull out his wallet.

_This boy might lose some of his innocence all too early, too. Like I did._

I shook my head at the thought. Although he didn't ask for it, it _was _a great honor... I frowned at that thought, too. _Honor doesn't mean shit unless one chooses it._

Well. There wasn't a lot that could be done about it. He was going to be in the thick of the mafia world whether he wanted to be or not. He didn't get a choice. My frown deepened. That's partly what I came here for, though. Soften the blow. Watch his back. Among other things that I wasn't aware of, yet, I'm sure. So many unknown factors that I can barely begin to take into account. I'm sure the Ninth will send someone more than qualified.

Tsuna seemed to be counting money in his wallet. _Maybe it's a good thing he doesn't know, yet. Let him live normally for as long as he can. Give him more of a childhood than I had, at least._

I smirked at myself as Tsuna got up and began to walk to a door of the classroom. _I sound like a fretful parent._

I sat up and waited until he was out the door to follow him. I glanced at a few curious students by the door at the back of the classroom that Tsuna took. They flinched a little. I turned away and frowned as I openned the door that he had closed. _What's with these guys?_

I closed the door behind me and spotted Tsuna off to my right. _May as well get this thing started,_ I thought to myself, ignoring the anxiety in my chest at talking to someone of my own volition, something I haven't done properly in a long time.

I told my adrenal glands to shut _up_ and got a move on. Trying not to seem so eager that I was creepy, I walk/jogged up behind him and gave him a quick tap on his shoulder. He turned with a curious look on his face. Until he saw mine, then he twitched violently and _"hiiee!"d, _shrinking away from me.

I blinked. "**Um, **Tsuna, right?" I tried a small (but genuine, I swear!) smile for him.

He blinked, but didn't relax much, although, I noted, he didn't back away any more. "H-hai?" His voice wavered.

"Are you headed to the school store?"

He straightened just a little. "Y-yes...?" His wary gaze turned more questioning. _Good,_ I thought, _progress._

I smiled a little more, "Would you mind showing me the way? I didn't get much time to look around the school, earlier, and I forgot to bring any lunch." My smile turned sheepish.

He seemed mildly bewildered as he answered, "Um, okay-sure...?" I grinned a bit at my small success and scampered to walk beside him as he began forward again.

I thought of starting up conversation, maybe discuss the menu of the store, but was surprised whe he said something himself.

"You're... Steele-san, right?"

I cringed. "Oh, no no no, that's too formal. Makes me nervous. Just 'Kaylin` is fine. In fact, it's prefered."

Tsuna sweatdropped, but conceded, "Th-then... Kaylin..."

I smiled, satisfied. There was a bit of silence between us then. I glanced around at the socializing students in the hall, or others heading to the store or elsewhere to eat their lunch. Both Tsuna and I seemed to be drawing attention.

I raised my eyebrow a little at some of the comments.

"Hey, isn't that the transfer student?"

"What's she doing with Dame-Tsuna?"

"More like, what's Dame-Tsuna doing around _her?"_

This incensed my nerves a little and I sent a sharp look that particular student's way. Whispers everywhere ceased and said particular student stiffened. I blinked at the exaggerated reaction and mentally shrugged.

**"Freakin' gossipy brats..." **I muttered under my breath.

Tsuna, meanwhile, was a little slumped with a dead-panned look on his face. He seemed to sigh dejectedly. I frowned. I think I was beginning to gather the situation here.

We shortly arrived at the store, where there was a very small crowd around the counter. "Any suggestions?" I asked Tsuna without looking at him, already scanning the menu.

He considered for a second. "The sandwiches here aren't too ba-"

"Melon bread!" I exclaimed, grinning. I glanced down to Tsuna, who jumped in alarm, and bounced on my toes, ignoring the startled stares of various pedestrian students.

"I've always wanted to try melon bread!" I beamed. There were some bewildered and amused whispers at my enthusiasm and Tsuna sweat-dropped.

"I guess that's pretty good, too..." He seemed to be getting a little twitchy.

I heard some snickers behind us and my smile immediately faded as I swiveled on my heel to fully face whoever decided that whatever this was was funny. I wanted it made immediately clear that I didn't take that kind of shit.

"Is there a problem?" My voice was steely as I scanned the crowd. The laughs promptly disappeared and I spotted some near-terrified looking boys in a huddle on one side. I held eye-contact until the scuttled away and around a corner.

I huffed back around and saw a stiff looking Tsuna who immediately jumped and _"hiiee"_d. I blinked as he quickly spun around and tossed some money on the counter before speeding off with a "I'll be going back, now!" over his shoulder.

There were a few (not ill-natured) laughs and I inwardly sighed at myself as I bought a few melon breads and two half-pints of milk.

_Well, _that _certainly went well. _I shrugged and started looking for a path to the courtyard. I figured I'd give him a chance to get over his apparent heart attack.

Besides, the weather was nice today.

Luckily for my PE class, the weather was still nice when we went outside for some soccer the next day. I bounced on my toes in anticipation. I liked soccer. I was by no means a star player, but it was _fun. _Despite my eagerness, I faltered in my stretching.

It'd just be a quick game of soccer, the game won't last longer than forty-five minutes tops... I should be okay, right? I unconsciously placed a hand on my stomach. There'd been very little pain today, even after having just settled in to her apartment. Just a short game, and I'll sick to support and defense. I'll rest up afterwards if I need to.

_I'll allow myself this on my first day of the job._ I grinned to myself.

"Kyoko-chan, do you want to be team captain?"

While keeping one ear open for the boys' team on the other field, I tuned into the situation at hand. A pretty girl with short, light brown hair was wide-eyed with surprise as she pointed to herself (cutely).

"Eh? Me?" She blinked.

"Do you not want to?" Asked a girl with long, straight hair.

The pretty girl, Kyoko-chan, tilted her haid (cutely). "Wouldn't Haruka-chan be better? Or," she gasped and clapped her hands (cutely). To my immense surprise, she spun around to beam at me, "why not Kaylin-chan?"

...

**"Wait, what? **Err- _me?" _I was pretty sure I was gaping when a few girls giggled.

Kyoko chirped, "Yeah!"

"B-but-"

"It's a good way to get you more personally involved with the class!" She continued beaming and - _were those sparkles?_

I looked around at the rest of the girls with panicky eyes. _Dear Buddha and gods of the land don't make me do this!_ One girl saw my plight and took pity, but couldn't stifle the giggle in her throat, "I think she's shy, Kyoko-chan."

"Eeeh?" Kyoko blinked owlishly at me in question. "Do you not want to?"

I frantically waved my hands in front of my face. "I-I, um, I'd really rather not- Let's go with Haruka-chan, after all, yeah?"

An athletic-looking girl, apparently Haruka, rolled her eyes with a smile. "Fine, I'll do it, again. Saya, be the other captain?"

A petite short haired girl with freckles piped up with a "hai, hai!" and a raised hand. I nearly fell to my knees with relief. _Dear god I can't handle that kind of pressure!_

Saya shuffled her feet around a soccer ball that I hadn't noticed and passed it over to me, and I reflexively stopped it with my foot. She grinned at me and cackled, "Then I pick Kei-chan!"

I blinked.

...

"Kei-chan?"

Saya threw me a shit-eating grin and gave an affirmative. "Nn! I almost bit my tongue when I said your name before, so now you're Kei-chan!" She stated proudly with her hands on her hips, head held high.

Harkua wacked her with the back of her hand. "That's not something to look so proud for." Saya just grinned wider. (That looked like it hurt.)

Haruka sighed, then turned to face the rest of the girls and began the process of picking teams.

I wilted once relieved of the pressure and tucked the ball under my arm. Then I remembered my self-appointed charge, and glanced over to the boys' group. The two groups were still relatively close, so I could hear a...curious exchange between two somewhat-aggitated boys with a rather tall individual seemingly attempting to mediate. There was a tired looking Tsuna over to the side.

"Just take him already!"

"No! I don't want my team to lose just because of him! We have a good team, this time!"

I frowned.

"We don't want him over here!"

"We don't want him, either!"

"Well, someone has to take him."

"Can't he just sit out?"

Oh, he didn't.

"The teams aren't even, though, he can be on-"

"Just sit out, Dame-Tsuna!"

Without thinking for a second, I wound my arm back launched the soccer ball in my hands at the head of the boy who made that last remark. It connected with a resounding smack.

_Oops._

It bounced off of the boys head and, with apparently very quick reflexes, the tallest boy snatched it out of the air before it could sail away. He blinked in my direction with a small surprised frown.

**"Ah, shit."** I started jogging over to the boys to retrieve the ball. "Sorry! My hand slipped!"

"What the- _how could your hand slipping result in the ball flying fifteen meters away?!" _The boy I hit yelled while cradling his head.

"**Fucking hell, **I _said _I was sorry!" I stopped running to stomp my foot, crossing my arms with a huff.

The taller boy blinked and laughed as he jogged to meet me halfway.

"That was a great throw, you know!" He said with a grin as he held the ball out to me.

I pouted a little and snatched the ball from him. "I didn't _mean _to...Okay, that's a lie, but the were being jerks!"

He grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I tried to calm them down, but it usually happens no matter what I do..."

I leaned around his shoulder and glared at the two offending idiots.

"But you should think about joining the baseball club!" He was beaming proudly. "You'd be a great addition!"

I leaned back (he was taller than me by about four inches despite being (I assumed) younger than me) and appraised him. "I take it you're in the baseball club?" I more or less stated with a raised eyebrow. He certainly looked like the athletic type.

"Ha ha, you guessed?"

I was about to respond when a call was heard from behind me, "Kei-chan, hurry with the ball, we're ready to play!" I dead-panned at the nickname. I hoped that didn't stick.

But as if to violently tap dance on my hopes, the boy in front of me laughed and took a step back. "Seriously think about joining the baseball club!" He turned and waved veggie potting to himself, "I'm Yamamoto, by the way. Later, Kei-chan!" And he jogged back to his team.

"Bu-but my name-" I was inturrupted as someone grabbed the ball from me and hauled me by the arm back to the girls' field.

"Geez, Kei-chan, you're so slow!" Saya complained with a huff.

"But my _name_-"

"Too late, it stuck," Saya happily (smugly) informed me. I groaned and let her continue to drag me.

**"Oh, come **_**on.**_**"**

* * *

><p>The game was nearing its end, as time was almost up, and there was next to no pain in my chest. The team needed a point to break the tie. In a moment of competitiveness, I decided to abandon my position as the defense and make sure that damn ball hit net.<p>

Feeling a bit of the thrill that I had missed since my previous mafia days stalled, I launched forward and snagged the ball out from under an opponent's feet. As they were expecting me to pass the ball to a forward, as I had been doing the entire game, there was only a person or two trying to get the ball back from me directly as opposed to intercepting the pass.

That left the field wide open for me to dribble.

Sparing no time to even grin I tore across the field in a full tilt sprint, leaving most of the players (even those on my team) behind. For about a second, at least.

Saya, who was very apparently in the soccer club caught on quick chased after me in support. Unfortunately, Haruka (also in the club) caught on just as quickly and caught_ up _just as quickly and decided to guard me. I had learned that she was good at stealing the ball.

_Well, shit._

When she hopped to my front to try and sweep the ball out from under me, I took a (kind of big) chance, considering I didn't _actually_ know the move I was about to attempt.

I feinted trying to dodge around her to the left. I skidded to a halt as I flicked my left ankle back, sending the ball behind me. I turned in half a second with the foot I kicked with as a pivot and launched the ball (clumsily) to Saya, whom the defense was approaching. She changed direction a bit to compensate for my little blunder.

Luckily, the ball reached her before they did, and she grinned as I danced to the left and around Haruka who had instinctively gone to my right after the ball. Just a split second before the defense reached her, she passed it back to me and, without underestimating Haruka's speed, I didn't even stop to dribble the ball forward anymore before I sent the ball flying towards the net.

There was a collective intake of breath in both teams as we watched the goalie jump for the ball with her hands ahead of her in hopes to catch it.

...

She caught it.

The coach called the game.

**"Oh, **_**come on!" **_I shouted with my hands in the air.

I threw my head back and groaned loudly at the sky and didn't notice the speeding teenager barreling towards me.

I was promptly glomped and assaulted via voice in my ear.

"Kei-chan, that was _amazing!_" Saya squealed beside me.

**"Fucking hell, **Saya, don't shout in my ear!" I shouted just as loudly to try and hide my embarrassment at the praise.

She only leaned back a little and continued, "That was so _intense!_ You even avoided Haruka! _Twice!" _She was absolutely radiating admiration at me even as she caught her breath. "I can barely manage that myself!"

Haruka, having been knocked to the side by Saya laughed at that. "She's not even kidding, you know. I'm usually on her ass so fast she trips over her own feet half the time." She grinned at Saya's puffed out cheeks, then looked to me. "That aside, though, that really was a great play, Kei-chan." She eyed me in appraisal.

Prying myself out of Saya's vice-grip, I mumbled, "U-um, thanks, but I didn't even make it past the goalie-"

"That's hardly the point!" Saya locked eyes with me and with the straightest face said, "You should join the soccer club."

I'm sure I looked horrified when I began to object before a voice chimed in.

"I think she should join the baseball club."

I swung my head around, aghast to see Yamamoto looking excitedly at me.

"No, I'm-" I was interrupted again as Saya pulled me away possessively, getting between Yamamoto and me.

"Don't you go recruiting her, now! I asked first!"

"Um, actually-"

"I asked her before the game even started, though."

Saya gasped. "You cheater!"

I quickly ducked out from under Saya's arms and sidestepped away while she was distracted with Yamamoto. I kept backing away, making sure they were preoccupied before I turned.

I was immediately surprised when I saw a lump over in the other field. I tiptoed closer and blinked when I realized it was Tsuna lying in a heap in the grass. I started forward over to him before I paused, remembering how he ran from me like I was holding an axe in one hand and a severed head in the other yesterday.

..._I'm sure more than twenty-four hours is enough for him to recover._

I walked over to him and cast a glance over my shoulder. Everyone was making their way inside, Saya one-sidedly arguing with a smiling Yamamoto while nearing the door. Assured that the cost was clear, I leaned down and poked Tsuna's fluffy head. I had to lean back as he turned his head to look at me and sprung to his feet, standing at attention.

"Hiiie! Ste- K-Kaylin!"

I blinked at his surprise, but smiled as I noted that he used my first name."You remembered to call me Kaylin," I pointed out, trying easy conversation.

He blinked at me this time. "Y-yeah..."

I rolled my eyes and clapped his shoulder once. "Chill out, Tsuna, I won't maul you."

He looked entirely unconvinced as he replied, "Y-yeah..."

I deadpanned and sighed. This was going to require some work. And apparently some TLC.

* * *

><p><strong>And dear god there it is.<strong>

**Again, any and all reviews would be greatly appreciated. Even just a few words. I'll work out upload times if I see that this is even somewhat well-recieved.**

**WELL, THEN.**

**ADIEU~  
><strong>


	2. A Warning Shot

**A/N:**

**Okay, I can't help myself. Here's chapter two!**

**Honestly, the beginning of this one is a little iffy for me, but whatever. Onwards and upwards!**

**AND GUESS WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED! I got a favorite! (2, actually)**

**I got over-excited and PM'd them with a thank you.**

**Shoutout to RubyRedSpiderLily! She seems like an awesome person and has a few stories of her own up her sleeve, so check 'em out! Thank you again, you beautiful motherfucker!**

**Anyhoo~**

**Oh, when Kaylin speaks in bold, she's talking in English. Just a reminder.**

* * *

><p>You know, when I came here to wait for Tsuna's candidacy to be announced, I didn't expect to be shot at <em>literally four days <em>after arriving.

I expected a little more of a preamble, you know? A little more civilian living before Tsuna's wellbeing was threatened. Or mine, for that matter. A little more getting to know each other before I took up the roll as human meat shield of the family. A little bit of actual vacation time. That wasn't so unreasonable of me to expect, was it?

Well, apparent-fucking-ly it was.

Rude.

I jogged all the way to school, as I had slept in because someone forgot to wake me up. As the diurnal one in our duo, I sort of figured Hina, the nocturnal one, would wake me up of a morning when she came back from her information gathering escapades. Surely _that _wasn't too much to ask, was it?

Well, _apparent-fucking-ly it was._

_"How am I supposed to know to wake you up? I can't sense time!"_

"And how was I supposed to know that?"

_"I thought you figured that out by now!"_

Or some excuse like that.

The gall of some rodents.

Well, despite being more or less sabotaged by a rat, I made it to school without being late. In fact, I had a few minutes to spare. So I meandered my way to the classroom, Hina having tucked herself away into my schoolbag, my hands tucked comfortably behind my neck.

"Hey, someone outside is in their underwear!"

...Wait, what?

"No way, isn't that Dame-Tsuna?"

...Wait, _what?_

"What the hell is he doing?"

Oh dear god. I jogged the rest of the way to the classroom and slid the door open to see a small crowd at the windows looking over the front of the school grounds. I padded over to the window.

"Scoot over, scoot over, lemme see." I tried to avoid stepping on toes as I weasled my way to the windows, supressing a shiver at being surrounded be so many people.

I blinked once and gaped as I saw - _Kyoko? -_- running away towards the school building. Away from Tsuna. **"Holy shit, what the hell did he do?"**

I doubt anyone understood much of that, but someone answered anyways, "I think he just confessed to Kyoko-chan!"

I blanched as I stared at the boxer-clad kid at the school gate. What the hell's gotten into him? I'd only known him for a few days, but it's blatantly obvious that he was _not _outgoing.

I blinked and leaned forward, squinting at a...strange flickering at Tsuna's forehead. As soon as I saw it, though, it disappeared.

I furrowed my brow in thought. Flickering, flickering...

Tsuna clutched his head in his hands and promptly started freaking out. Did he not expect to freak her out if he confesses to her in his boxers?

"Look, it's Mochida-senpai!"

"Isn't he dating Kyoko-chan?"

I cringed as (apparently) Mochida gave Tsuna one good punch, but I didn't give it much more attention (Tsuna was a wimp, not made of glass) as I thought.

Flickering, flickering..._flickering...!_

I withheld a curse as I reached the most likely conclusion. That could only have been a Dying Will flame! Emitting so much energy that his clothes ripped off, doing something that he'd normally never do, the flame on the forehead - it explained everything.

But one can't normally tap into that kind of power by one's self - oh, son of a bitch! Was someone from the family here already?

The crowd, sensing that the fuss was over, moved away and back towards their desks. I, however, stayed, watching Tsuna and the surrounding area like a hawk.

As I should have been, since someone strange showed up at Tsuna's side. It was a small individual dressed in what looked like a suit and - _is that a fedora?_ A yellow pacifier bigger than the kid's fist hung at his neck.

Instincts flaring, I opened the window and leaned out as much as I could while keeping my center of gravity inside. I vaguely heard someone cautioning me, but I ignored them as I locked my limbs into place.

_Assess_

_Age, approximately 1 year. Height, exactly 40 cm. Weight, less than 40 kg. Muscle mass, difficult to determine. Body posture and facial expressions difficult to determine, but physiological phenomena such as pulse and blood pressure indicate a calm emotional state. Logically speaking, threat should be minimal. Experience and intuition indicate otherwise._

_Potential threat: exponential._

_Current threat: undetermined._

_Presumed identity: undetermined._

_Alert_

I blinked and hissed through my teeth, hairs standing on end.

The kid was looking right at me.

In the four or so seconds it took me to Assess him, he noted my presence out of the many in the classrooms.

Albeit I was halfway out a window.

Something told me he was assessing me, as well, though in a different way, and as if I had stumbled right in front of a napping beast my instinct had me frozen.

Don't break eye contact.

Even as a presence strode up to Tsuna who was yelling at the kid, who was ignoring him, neither of us broke eye contact. A cold sweat began to collect at my hairline.

_Alert_

But the stare off was interrupted by Tsuna's fleeing form and the tension was broken. I blinked and glanced at the new presence. It seemed to be a boy about my age. I inwardly sighed at the headache I was about to give myself.

_Assess_

_Age, approximately 15. Height, approximately 170 cm. Weight, less than 60 kg. Muscle mass, difficult to determine. Body posture and facial expression are alarming. This coupled with physiological phenomena indicate a volatile personality. Current emotional state reflects that of a...wild animal prowling its territory._

_Alert_

_Potential threat: great._

_Current threat: moderate._

_Alert_

_Presumed identity: unknown._

_Alert_

I blinked and started sweating for real.

Now _this _guy was staring me down. But this was different. It was as if I were a wounded prey animal and a tiger with a craving for me in particular found me at its watering hole. My instincts told me to bail. And I promptly ignored them for whatever godforsaken reason.

I flexed my apparently atrophied backbone and stood up straight, pulling the window closed. I looked to the kid, but he was gone. I had begun to scan the area for wherever the kid had gone, but a bunch of laughter behind me caught my attention.

I blinked as Tsuna stood at the doorway looking like he wanted to dig his own grave and curl up in it. I grimaced as I saw his gaze shift to Kyoko, who had apparently found her way into the classroom while I was having my battle of wills. The poor girl looked like she didn't know what to do with herself.

Some students gathered in front of Tsuna and jeered at him. My hackles rose.

"It's the pantsman!"

_"Sasagawa Kyoko, please go out with me!" _

"Confession of love!" They mocked.

"You were rejected vehemently!" I scoffed. Look at Kyoko's face! That's clearly not what happened! I couldn't say anything though, because that may just make the situation worse. So I stood there, uselessly frowning.

Luckily, it didn't go on for long anyways as someone in the hall got Tsuna's (and everyone else's) attention.

"Mochida-san's looking for you in the gym, Dame-Tsuna." I grimaced. This didn't sound good. Tsuna took a terrified step back.

"Don't think you can get out of this!" And with that they hauled him off forcibly, presumably to said gymnasium. The entire class followed, and even Kyoko was hauled off to watch this "fight for her honor" by her friend Hana.

I sucked in air through my teeth as I furiously debated with myself hopping from one foot to the other. I'd normally never go to something this over the top and pointless, but I couldn't just leave Tsuna by himself! (Even though he didn't know I'm on his side, I imagined.) I rolled my eyes and groaned, chasing after the last of the class (and apparently the rest of the damn student body) off to the gym.

Until of course I noticed Tsuna trudging himself through the hallway, looking like he was thinking horrible things about himself. You could just see the self-deprecating look on his face.

Aw, geez.

He was about to step into the boys' bathroom before I called to him on a whim.

"Yo, Tsuna!" He jumped as I jogged over to him.

"K-Kaylin!" He started out looking nervous as hell, before he heaved a great sigh and hung his head.

I frowned. His self-esteem issues ran deep. I tilted my head at him.

"Aren't you gonna go?" He jumped again and looked at me incredulously.

"Of course I can't go!" My frown deepened and he sighed again. "There's no way I'll win - I'll only embarrass myself and get hurt!"

"No, I doubt you will win." He slumped again, not looking surprised at all that I said that. "Not like that you won't." He glanced up at me with a frown. "Besides, winning is hardly the point, here."

He looked incredulous again, so I continued. "You should go _because _Kyoko will be watching." He widened his eyes at me, surprised. I leaned forward in conspiracy. "Do you want some advice from me, as a girl?"

He looked wary, but continued listening. "It's a lot cooler to struggle and lose than to run away without even trying." Tsuna straightened. _Just another push..._

I grinned at him. "Win or lose, you'll have a place in Kyoko's heart forever."

Tsuna was still for a moment. Then he clenched his fists, clearly making up his mind. He gave me a determined nod and, without a word, turned on his heel and ran down the hallway. I pumped my fist with a victorious (but hushed) **"Yes!" **And placed my hands on my hips, watching his retreating form.

* * *

><p>A baby in a fedora listened to the (one-sided) exchange thoughtfully. He had been planning to say roughly the same as soon as Tsuna tried to escape out the bathroom window, as the baby knew he would. He listened as footsteps sounded and faded (probably Tsuna). The girl who had been giving him the small pep talk let out a triumphant exclamation, in English, he noted, and he smirked.<p>

**"Oh - shit," **the girl - Tsuna had called her "Kaylin" - cursed, then sped off after his student, presumably to watch his fight. The baby affixed his fedora more firmly onto his head and began to make his own way to the gymnasium.

"Well said."

* * *

><p>Tsuna was already standing in front of Mochida by the time I got to the gym. I let out a low whistle as I made my way into the gym. I wasn't kidding when I said the entire student body was making their way to the area to watch. I scanned the crowd and spotted Kyoko and Hana and jogged over to them, trying to keep the rest of the crowd at least limited to one side of me. I noted that Yamamoto was standing a little to the right.<p>

"Yo, Kyoko, Hana."

Kyoko started. "Kaylin-chan! You came to watch, too?"

I nodded and turned to watch the two opponents. "I came for support." Kyoko nodded in understanding.

"I'm worried, Kaylin-chan." I bit my lip. I was still new here, but I had already gathered the reason people called Tsuna "dame." He...kind of was. I couldn't reassure Kyoko without lying to her, so I didn't say anything.

Mochida shouted with an air of arrogance, "So you dared to show up!" Tsuna clenched his fists and tensed. He clearly didn't come here to win. He knew what he was getting himself into.

"But don't worry!" Mochida continued, "the match is simple enough that even an idiot like you can understand it." I 'tch''d. "You're a novice at kendo! All you have to do to win is score one point off of me. If you can't, you lose. The prize is, of course," he swung his sword around to point it at Kyoko, who jumped."

"Sasagawa Kyoko!" She balked.

"P-prize?!"

**"What the hell?!" **I exclaimed.

"What an ass," even Hana tossed in.

Then I saw movement to my right and turned just as Yamamoto tossed a practice sword Tsuna's way.

"Tsuna, here!" He fumbled, but managed to catch it.

**"Nice!" **I grinned at Yamamoto, who walked back over to stand beside me.

"Good luck, Sawada-kun!" Everyone turned to Kyoko in surprise, Mochida spinning to gape at her in disbelief. I grinned and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Hurry up and start, _senpai._" I spat, the way I addressed him absolutely _dripping _in sarcasm. He scowled at me, but turned to Tsuna, swinging his sword in his direction. Tsuna jerked.

"Prepare yourself!"

And with that, the match started.

And Tsuna promptly panicked.

He began to run away from Mochida, who was swinging at him like mad. The audience immediately started laughing and jeering.

"Look! He's still Dame-Tsuna, after all!"

I spun around to scowl at the general direction of that particular shout. The crowd only quieted for a second before resuming its laughs. I 'tch'd and turned back to the match.

I was about to shout something encouraging when my hackles rose before I even realized what had happened. I was rusty, admitted, but I couldn't _not _notice the movement - a bullet?! I couldn't even tense completely before Tsuna hit the ground, a wound in his forehead.

I quickly scanned the windows, judging the height by the bullet's trajectory. I just caught a glimpse of the shine of a scope before it disappeared.

I desperately looked back to Tsuna. _Please tell me that was a special bullet, _please _tell me that was -_

I heaved a sigh of relief as Tsuna shot up with a Dying Will flame on his forehead.

_"Defeat Mochida as if I were to die!"_ He thusly charged.

Mochida _was _fast, however, and swung his sword down directly on to Tsuna's fuzzy, flaming head, only for the weapon to be shattered. Tsuna followed through with the movement and headbutted the _shit _out of that guy. He then roared sat on his chest, stradling him.

The crowd was stunned.

"A mounted position?!"

Tsuna raised his hand -

"A chop?!"

- and brought it down, grabbing a fistful of Mochida's hair.

And pulled.

"_One hundred points!" _He tossed the hair aside and grabbed another fistful. _"If that's not enough - !" _I proceeded to yank out handful after handful of Mochida's hair until he was completely bald. Tsuna violently turned to the referee and shouted _"Zembuppon!"_

It took me a second.

Then in the middle of the hush before the storm, I clapped my fist to my hand.

"Instead of 'ippon,' he got 'hyakuppon,' then 'every-ppon!"

...

Laughter roared through the gymnasium as the referee panicked and held up Tsuna's flag.

"T-the winner is Sawada!"

I jumped and cheered, **"Yes! You fucking did it!" **In my excitement I clapped Yamamoto hard on the shoulder, repeatedly. "He freaking did it!"

He laughed, ignoring the pain, "Yeah, he did!"

I was about to run over to Tsuna to congratulate him, but Kyoko beat me to it. Still bursting with excitement but unwilling to ruin their moment, I gripped Yamamoto's elbow and shook, cackling wildly. He just sweatdropped but continued laughing, riding the atmosphere of everyone cheering wildly at the unexpected victory of the underdog.

Eventually, unable to contain themselves, the crowd surged forward and swarmed Tsuna, congratulating him and shaking him until it looked like his head would explode. But I cackled excitedly to myself (I'd never admit to giggling, which is actually what was happening) as I noted that despite his apparent distress, Tsuna actually looked quite happy.

* * *

><p>After school, Tsuna was happily making his way home in a daze when he saw Reborn, apparently waiting for him, on top of the of the wall he seemed to like walking on. Still buzzing from the euphoria of winning and talking to Kyoko-chan, he ran over to Reborn, grinning.<p>

"I did it, Reborn! I actually did it!"

Reborn smiled a little (more of a smirk) at his student's happiness. "You did it with your dying will. Good job."

Tsuna teared up a little. "Reborn, you...you're actually a nice guy, aren't you?" _Sniffle._

The infant frowned at this. "Don't get the wrong idea. You're still a Dame-Tsuna."

This time Tsuna teared up for a different reason.

Reborn began to walk, and Tsuna followed after, slumped and completely come down from his former victory-high. They walked in (actually somewhat companionable) silence for a ways, before Reborn stopped at on the corner of the wall, his fedora tilting down and hiding his eyes in shadow.

Tsuna took a few more steps before noticing Reborn's absence beside him, and turned around, with a questioning/suspicious look. "Reborn? What's-"

"Shut up for a minute, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna looked affronted. "What the-"

_**BANG.**_

"HIIEEE?!"

"HEEE- !" A squeal was drowned out by Tsuna's own cry.

"Reborn?! What the hell was that for?!" Tsuna looked between his tutor and the direction he shot at, namely a smoking hole in the wall by an intersection in the street parallel to the one they were on.

"That was a warning shot." Reborn called out, answering Tsuna's question and warning whoever it was he shot at. "Come out now and I won't shoot again. If you don't, there will be more than a warning shot. And I only need one." He added darkly. Tsuna stiffened and looked in the direction Reborn was indicating.

...

There was the sound of movement.

And someone stepped - err - crawled out from behind the wall.

* * *

><p>School ended.<p>

I packed my bag, deep in thought, keeping a very close eye on Tsuna as he exited the classroom. I followed.

_If the Ninth has already sent someone, then Tsuna's candidacy has been announced. But so early...?_

I nearly forgot to change back into my tennis shoes before following Tsuna outside - at a non-suspicious distance, of course. Was now the right time to make a move? Whoever the tutor was, they would have decided to start gathering Tsuna's family; with Tsuna's candidacy announced, he'd need the allies.

He was officially in this.

Which meant that now was as good a time as any...

Except I was nervous as all hell.

It'd been so long... and if that baby was the tutor... he was intimidating as shit. How do I even approach someone like that? Tsuna probably has no idea what to do with himself right now, so going to him would likely be pointless...

Tsuna was leaving fast, and I was getting angsty. If I wanted to do this soon...

Well, gathering more information was always a good idea - you could never go wrong with too much knowledge.

Well, okay, in the mafia world you very well could get killed for possessing too much knowledge.

But that was beside the point.

Not exactly knowing what to do, as soon as I rounded the corner of the wall, I sprinted to a street adjacent to the one Tsuna turned down - the one directly in front of the school. So I went one street to the right.

Sprinting to the intersection so I wouldn't miss Tsuna, I waited, peeking around the corner of the wall, making sure to stay alert to my surroundings. Tsuna passed by the intersection. I moved on as soon as he was out of site, running to the next corner.

I kept repeating this process, making _damn sure _I didn't get cocky, which was a good choice, as Tsuna soon met up with the baby. They exchanged words, Tsuna looking ecstatic and proud.

_So the baby is definitely the tutor... But a baby?_

They exchanged a few words - amusingly - before moving on. I made sure the baby passed in front of a house before moving. No way was I underestimating anyone from the Vongola famiglia.

I followed them for two blocks before something happened. I peeked just a little out from behind the wall.

That was apparently a mistake.

The baby stopped, and I immediately tensed, but knew better than to move yet.

_Shit shit shit shit shit sh -_

_SHIT._

_**BANG.**_

I gave a little shriek (embarrassingly reminiscent of Tsuna's trademark "hiiee!") and fell back onto my backside. And I think I heard Tsuna scream, too. I gaped for a second at the smoking hole made by the bullet that I was nearly certain_ would have took out my eye had I not moved when he pointed his gun._

I was shaking like a damn leaf when a squeaky voice called out, drawing my attention away from envisioning myself without an eye.

"That was a warning shot."

_Like fucking _hell _ it was_!

"Come out now and I won't shoot again. If you don't there will be more than a warning shot."

I gulped. He's dead serious.

"And I only need one."

I think I almost peed my pants.

It took me a second before I could make my muscles work. I slumped forward and crawled on all fours, half emerging from behind the wall.

* * *

><p>Tsuna's jaw dropped.<p>

"K-Kaylin?!" The redhead didn't speak, but was watching Reborn with wide eyes. Tsuna spun on the baby. "Reborn! What are you doing shooting at my classmates?!"

Reborn put away his gun. "She was following us." Then the frown he donned seemed suspiciously like a pout when he said, "Besides, it was only a warning shot."

Kaylin spoke up then. "_Like hell! _That almost took out my damn eye!"

Reborn was unfazed. "It didn't, did it?" Kaylin locked her jaw and made a silent scream of frustration, nearly pouting herself.

Having noticed that she hadn't gotten up, yet, Tsuna rushed over to Kaylin and started flapping his hands about, fretting but afraid to actually touch her.

"A-are you okay?!"

She scowled up at him and he flinched away with a 'hiiee!' before she checked herself. She heaved herself up from the ground and snatched her dropped school bag up, hugging it to her chest. Her face seemed like it wasn't going to lose its frown any time soon.

Reborn made his way over to the two and hopped up to Tsuna's shoulder, not quite trusting Kaylin, yet. He tilted his fedora up a bit and studied her.

"You're the girl that was half dangling from the window of Tsuna's classroom this morning. And judging by your name, you're also who gave Tsuna the push he needed to not run away today."

Kaylin bit the inside of her cheek. How'd he know about the pep talk? But, "I really shouldn't be surprised that you know about that last bit, I suppose."

Reborn cut to the chase. "Why were you tailing Tsuna like that?"

She shifted nervously fiddling with the wristband on her arm. She supposed being dishonest wouldn't get her anywhere.

"I was gathering information...more or less..."

Tsuna started. "Eh?"

"Stay quiet, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna puffed out his cheeks and crossed his arms, glaring at the wall.

Reborn seemed to narrow his eyes at the girl in front of him. "How much do you know?"

Kaylin glanced at Tsuna. "The Vongola Nono has chosen Sawada Tsunayoshi to be the next boss of the Vongola family. The Decimo." She shifted her gaze to Reborn. "I've assumed that the Ninth sent you to beat Tsuna into shape."

Reborn frowned, but continued his questions. "Who are you? Are you from a family?"

Kaylin shifted some more. "I'm in no family. I...generally freelance in America." She dodged the problem question.

Tsuna started again. "You're in the mafia?!"

This time Reborn kicked Tsuna in the head and didn't bother to reprimand him. Kaylin grimaced.

_'Spartan tutor, huh?'_

Reborn 'hmm'd. "And your name?"

The girl fiddled with her wristband some more. "...Kaylin Steele." She knew being honest was the best way to go, but it still made her nervous out of habit.

Reborn's eyebrows shot up. Now that he looked closely...

"The Demon?" He clarified. Kaylin grimaced in distaste. Tsuna 'hiiee'd quietly.

"That alias was so cheesy! And it was _not _my idea, for the record."

Reborn 'hmm'd again. He tilted his fedora up, getting a better look at her. Kaylin fidgeted, frowning at the wall. He vaguely remembered stories and rumors of a young hitman with an astounding track record from the US. Blood red hair, a look that seemed to cut like a sharpened blade. He saw that the "blood red" part wasn't an exaggeration, at least.

Tsuna had had about enough at that point. "Reborn! Would you please tell me what's going on!" He looked almost desperately between the baby on his shoulder and his classmate that he'd known for four days. The girl cast her metallic blue gaze at him in what was almost pity. Tsuna frowned.

Reborn thought of something. "Now that I think of it, you got here before me." He regarded her. "How long have you been here?"

"Literally four days."

He frowned, a little concerned. "That was before the Ninth officially made Tsuna the heir to the family. How did you know to come here? Where did you get your information?"

Kaylin, surprising both Reborn and Tsuna, grinned. She unzipped her school bag.

* * *

><p>I grinned. I get to brag, now.<p>

I unzipped my school bag.

"Hina, get out here, would you?" I smiled warmly as my fluffy rat companion poked her head out of the bag, sniffing.

_"Are you sure it's safe?"_

"It's fine, come on. I'm going to brag." At that, she scampered up my arm and onto my shoulder. Not vain at all.

"Hiiiee! A rat?!"

I frowned at Tsuna's reaction. "Yes, a rat." I eyed him critically. "She's never stepped foot in a sewer in her life, you know."

Tsuna didn't seem reassured, so I continued. "Rats are very smart! Especially her. And she offends easily." Tsuna straightened at my narrowed eyes.

I glanced away with a huff and puffed out cheeks. "And for the record, she's never even pooped on me before." At that Tsuna deadpanned.

_"As if I'd do something so personal in front of someone," _Hina muttered indignantly, cleaning her face. I pat her head with my finger.

Reborn raised his eyebrows at Hina.

I grinned, and she preened herself at the praise. "She's my partner. She talks to other animals for me and gathers information. Hina, coupled with regular genealogical records and gossip in Italy led me here, to Tsuna."

Reborn nodded, absently poking the chameleon on his head, who seemed to be eyeing Hina curiously. Hina, finished cleaning, sniffed the air once again in appraisal. Then she froze.

_"Kaylin, is that a pacifier on that baby human's neck?"_

I blinked, then remembered that rats can't see shit.

I'm talking 600/20 vision.

"Yeah, why?"

She turned to me. _"Kaylin, _think. _What kind of baby would be sent by the Ninth to tutor the next generation's boss?"_

_..._

_..._

I slapped my hand to my forehead. **"Holy shit!"**

Reborn smirked. "That took a while."

I could have kicked myself! "If the Ninth sent you, you can only be Reborn! **And Tsuna even said your name!" **I wailed at myself with my head in my hands. **"How fucking rusty have I gotten?!"**

Tsuna deadpanned at my outburst in English. "Um..."

Hina did the equivalent of a rat sigh at me. _"How would you even feed yourself without me?"_

Reborn put a little fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. "That aside..." His tone changed and I tensed, lowering my hands a few inches, eyeing him warily. The important part was coming up soon. I could feel it in my gut. I swallowed, my mouth dry.

"If I recall correctly, you've worked with branches of the Vongola in America in the past, correct?"

I nodded. I freelanced with the Vongola family several times, years ago. While I was still...worthy. I pushed aside the thought.

Reborn seemed to think.

Suddenly he hopped off Tsuna's shoulder and onto the wall next to us. Both Tsuna and I looked at him in question.

"Go home, Baka-Tsuna."

"Huh? You're not coming?"

"I'll be home later. Hurry up." He regarded his student in what looked to me like mild disdain. "Go play in the dirt or something."

I snorted. Tsuna's jaw dropped. He looked like his head would pop.

"Fine! I don't care anymore!" He started to stomp away before he turned back, a somewhat softer expression on his face. "Um, Kaylin..." He faltered.

I tilted my head at him. He fidgeted a bit before continuing. "You don't seem like a...bad person..." I blinked. "...So, um...thanks for...convincing me to face Mochida-senpai."

My eyebrows raised by themselves and in my peripheral vision I think Reborn's did, too. Even Hina hummed a little.

Tsuna noted all this and suddenly flushed a little, waving his hands in front of himself frantically. "I-it's just that - you know! You really helped me out, so, um, uh-"

Reborn, to my surprise, took pity. "Hurry up and get out of here, Baka-Tsuna."

...That or he actually got fed up with Tsuna's bumbling.

It could have been either/or, really.

Tsuna listened and turned away, waving over his shoulder, "J-ja, Kaylin. See you tomorrow!" I gave a bemused wave as he bounded around the corner.

Reborn seemed to sigh. "...I've go my work cut out for me."

I laughed at that. "But you can tell, the Ninth picked him for a reason." Reborn looked at me, then. He looked like he wanted to say something rather snarky, but I would guess he respected the Ninth too much for that. Instead he smiled a little, then got down to business, turning to me.

He regarded me for a moment. "I'm sure you can guess what I'm about to ask."

I grimaced. "Probably. I assume it's in regards as to why I came all the way here."

He nodded once. "That and why you seemed to drop off the map for two years."

I froze. I felt the blood drain from my face, running ice cold down my spine. I fought the shaking that immediately picked up in my hands and legs, clutching my school bag until my knuckles turned white and my fingers started to sting. I lowered my head, hiding behind the lose hair of my braid.

I had desperately hoped to avoid this.

* * *

><p>Reborn tilted his fedora up and watched her with a critical eye, noting her every movement, every twitch. He didn't admit it to himself, but when he saw how she reacted, he almost regretted asking.<p>

She looked like she was about to go into shock.

"Let's walk to your place. Is it far?" He tried his hand in distracting her. It worked, somewhat. Besides, he sensed that there was a story behind this.

She jerked. She swallowed before trying to answer, then decided against it, anyways. She nodded, lifting her head only a little.

And they walked.


	3. A Little Coffee, a Lot of Talking

***TRIGGER WARNING***

**There is self-harm (namely cutting oneself) in this chapter. It's not due to any emotional trauma (although emotional trauma is also in this chapter and the story in general - you've been warned), so I think it's only a technicality that I call this self-harm. Because it technically is.**

**But, heads up. I know that self-harm is not to be taken lightly, and I don't in any way romanticize it. So, just...you know. Trigger warning just in case.**

**Anyways, heads up having been properly given -**

* * *

><p><strong>Boring Disclaimer: The writer (me) acknowledges that she does not own anything about KHR, blah blah blah. She only claims to own her OC.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>SHOUT OUTS FTW because you guys are fantastic.<strong>

**If y'all dun' know, I got some reviews!**

Shout out to **QuirkyKit, **my first reviewer! **DUDE.** (She also favorited btw)

And (another) shout out to **RubyRedSpiderLily,** who last time threw me my first favorite has now thrown me my second review which is NO LESS fantastically awesome than the first. Which was very awesome.

Also, since the number is still small, thank you to all the (other) people who have favorited: **Skyea, DaughterofLoki1111, **and **4DarkMirror6 **(cool name btw).

And a thank you to all of you (eight) who followed! I'm lazy, but you know who you are!

**Without further ado, please enjoy. And review. Please review also.**

**(I swear the A/N won't always be stupidly long, okay?)**

* * *

><p>It wasn't a terribly long walk to her apartment, but Kaylin offered her shoulder to Reborn, anyways. He (gratefully) accepted.<p>

And she trudged along in silence.

My apartment was in a pretty run-down complex, but the area around it wasn't actually _that _bad. Plus the rent was cheap. Reborn eyed it with a raised eyebrow.

I snorted. "I have limited funds, and I want to avoid work for as long as I possibly can."

He didn't lower his eyebrow.

"There's a...somewhat legitimate reason for that."

He hummed. I chuckled darkly, sweatdropping.

I made my way up the stairs, to the second farthest door, and pulled my key out of the deep recesses of the pocket of my uniform slacks. I proceeded to unlock the door and opened it with a flourish, "Welcome, Reborn, to my shitty apartment."

He snorted, to my surprise. "You're not kidding."

I grinned weakly. "Not even a little."

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, kicking off my shoes. We both took in the state of ill repair that my apartment was in.

The paint was peeling in some places - there was even a crack or two in the wall here and there. The cabinets in the kitchen, which was connected directly to the door, weren't in terrible shape, but clearly hadn't been replaced in a while. The fake wooden floor was scuffed up all over the place.

I sighed and padded through the kitchen and into the living room to the right, at the back of the apartment. It doubled as a bedroom, with a futon in the closet. It came with tatami mats and a kotatsu, to my delight. Even if the mats were fraying a little. The window didn't have a wonderful view, but it let in natural light, which was the most important to me.

"But, hey. The roof doesn't leak," I noted proudly. It was a shitty apartment, for sure, but it was _my _shitty apartment.

Reborn hopped down onto the kotatsu, plopping down right on the top.

...Well, I doubted he could sit beside the thing and see over it at the same time.

...I didn't mention that.

Hina scuttled down my shirt and pant leg, and plopped onto the kotatsu herself, immediately starting to groom, and I chucked my school bag at the closet door. It hit with a hollow _thunk _and landed with a muffled _thump._

Good riddance.

Suddenly feeling a little awkward just standing there, I offered, "You, uh, want some coffee? All I have is espresso, though." _Do babies drink coffee? _Well, he was a little different, but still...

He smiled (smirked) and said, "Espresso is my favorite."

"Great! Okay. Hina, don't knaw on anything."

She scoffed.

"Or anyone."

_"Go make your stupid coffee!"_

I spun on my heel with a (somewhat forced) grin and stepped literally three feet to the left. I was desperately grateful for just a little more time in avoiding the conversation I knew was coming. I started the machine and made enough for four helpings. It went along quickly.

"Hee hee. Good thing, investing in a fancy coffee maker."

Reborn spoke up from the living room (again, baby's toddle away).

...I swear on everything I hold dear that pun was not intended.

"It looks like the only new thing in here," he said _helpfully._ Not that he was wrong.

"Aside from the futon stuffed in the closet, it is." I leaned ninety degrees and poked my head around the entryway. "Creamer? Sugar?"

"I'll take it black." I stuck out my tongue.

**"Bleh."**

I poured coffee into two mugs, dropping a spoonfull of creamer and two of sugar into one. The best I could do with the provided facilities. Replacing the pitcher in the machine, I snagged the mugs and padded into the living room.

"Here you go, one nasty black coffee." I set the mug in front of him and took a seat.

He smirked and took a sip; I mirrored him. For just a second there wasn't a sound. Then we both let out a collective sigh of bliss.

"Good coffee."

I grinned. "It was a bit expensive, but one should never skimp out on coffee."

He smirked again. "I agree."

There was a small companionable silence until I looked to my left at the sight on the table. Reborn looked at it , as well, a contemplative set to his mouth and eyebrows.

...

"It looks like they get along."

"Yeah..." I trailed off.

Hina and Reborn's chameleon were sitting across from each other.

Staring.

...

"What...do you think they're doing?"

He considered. "Probably talking."

"...It seems so..."

...

We took sips of our coffee.

_Collective sigh._

Reborn cleared his throat, taking on a more serious air. It was odd how he could do that without changing his expression much. While being a baby.

"Are you here to join Tsuna's family?" I blinked in surprise, then smirked.

"Perceptive, huh." I sighed, accepting defeat. "Yeah. That's why I came all the way to Japan." I looked at Hina and the chameleon, avoiding Reborn's eyes.

"His name is Leon." I glanced at him, surprised, then glanced back, smirking a little.

"Leon **the chameleon, **huh?" That was cute. Reborn might have smiled.

Probably didn't, but whatever.

There was a pregnant pause before he spoke up again.

...

"...You know I have to ask."

My expression slackened. "...Yeah. I understand. Although, honestly, I had really hoped to avoid it."

He waited for me to continue. I sighed and took a long drink of my coffee, scalding myself, but relishing the caffiene. I stared into my cup.

"Were you aware that two years ago I was invited to Italy to assist with an operation by the Vongola?"

He tilted his fedora back. "Now that you mention it, Iemitsu mentioned something like that to me."

I nodded and continued. "CEDEF was going to raid a fairly large base of a family that was very antagonistic to the civilians of... some place. It's been so long that I can't remember. I was hired as an extra hand. Apparently it was a pretty big operation."

"I think I remember that. The base was somewhere in _Toscana._"

I nodded again. I bit my lip. I was getting close to the hard part. Well, the beginning of it.

"...Well, the mission was a success. It went pretty flawlessly, actually. I'm sure there's a report archived somewhere that you can access, if you're interested."

We both knew I was stalling, but to Reborn's credit and my eternal gratitude, he patiently waited for me to continue.

"I suppose I got cocky. Overconfident. I was probably thinking that if I could handle a mission like that without messing up I could probably relax in the area. Believe me, thinking about it in retrospect, I realize that that was beyond foolish. Tuscany doesn't have shit on Sicily.

"I decided to take more of a look into the Vongola family since I was in the area, you know? After working with their trusted affiliate, I realized how different some families were compared to what I was used to. I wanted to settle down, as it were." I laughed bitterly. "That clearly worked out well." I opened my mouth to continue, but what I was about to say just didn't make it out of my throat.

I froze up. I clenched my teeth and took another long drink of my cooling coffee.

I inhaled deeply through my nose. I didn't meet Reborn's watchful gaze.

I swallowed and choked out the words I had nightmares over.

"_Per fare un dio._"

* * *

><p>Reborn froze.<p>

_Per fare un dio._

To make a god.

His stomach dropped. He removed his hands from his mug of coffee, his taste for it forgotten.

Kaylin didn't lift her head as she continued, bangs shielding her from the gaze of the infant, and even Hina and Leon watched her, their own conversation forgotten.

"That's what they told me."

Her message clicked immediately. Reborn lowered his fedora, shading his eyes from view. It was a gesture of sympathy, regret, sadness. Anger.

He spoke in a low voice. "Vita Ricerca."

The girl with crimson hair suddenly tensed, fists clenching as she hissed air through her teeth. She trembled; with fear or rage, Reborn couldn't tell. Perhaps both, he thought.

Reborn recalled the information he knew of the wretched, godforsaken underground organization that was destroyed by the Vongola famiglia and allied forces a few months ago. Vita Ricerca.

Although it was a rumor, it's said that the orginization started from a cult. Reborn suspected that said cult could have been a cover for some genius who wanted research funds, because the name Vita Ricerca was only actually known as belonging to a research lab.

This research lab, while somewhat well-funded, understandably didn't get many volunteers for guinea pigs, although the sponsers would be more than willing. No, the research was conducted on individuals with unique abilities. To get the research material they needed, they resorted to kidnaping.

Apparently Vita Ricerca was either very selective or very unsuccesful in their kidnap attempts, because there were barely a dozen kidnappings. Either way, they were covert and quiet enough to elude the efforts of being found by the Vongola or another family for two years.

Once found the base and lab were quickly and decisively raided, and the victims of the ambitions of a madman were freed. Reborn would have been a part of the mission himself had he not been tutoring Dino at the time. The Ninth assured him that there was enough manpower.

The kidnapped individuals were given rehabilitation funded by the Vongola family. Sort of compensation for taking so long to find them. Reborn hadn't visited any of the now-patients, so he didn't know who had been made victim. Apparently the young girl before him had been included in the number.

He made a mental note to look into the report of this particular mission and related documents, as well as the mission reports that he hadn't read yet of any joint operations with the family that Kaylin has been involved in.

He looked up at her, not speaking, waiting for her to continue at her own pace.

She took a deep, shaky breath. Then grew still as she exhaled.

"Two years."

Her voice was bland, her face blank. No life in her eyes.

Reborn lowered his head again. He thought it might be a form of post traumatic stress. A defense mechanism. Her emotions became so great, so raw and bleeding, that she just stopped feeling them. She shoved everything so far down that she effectively became sociopathic.

She continued, straightening and affixing her apathetic stare somewhere above Reborn's head.

"They cut. Carved. Burned. _Melted. _I think they did everything they could possibly think of. To see if I could survive it and heal." She gazed down at the wristband on her arm, lightly touching the material. She refused to recall the many events in more detail. Some of it she had blacked out of her memory, anyways.

"I did." She was silent for a while, and Reborn let her stay that way while he digested the information.

She nearly startled him with a harsh bark of laughter. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before leaning onto the kotatsu, putting her head in her hands. She forcibly heaved out a breath.

"You should know - _someone _besides the rat - should know something."

Noting that she had seemed to come out of her 'state,' Reborn forced himself to relax his shoulders. He _was_ human. He wasn't impervious to feeling a little sympathy to pain like hers.

"What is it?" He inquired.

"Th..._they_... made me sick." Reborn furrowed his brows. "...Very sick. I'm still sick. I'm not getting any sicker, but...I'm not what I used to be." She smirked at herself. "I sound like an old racehorse."

Reborn internally frowned at the simile. He'd definitely have to ask about that "sickness" at a less sensitive time if he couldn't figure out what it was on his own. She _seems _fine, but...

Well, he wouldn't push the subject today.

"I..." Kaylin saw Reborn's frown and seemed to misinterpret it. "I mean, I can still heal wounds - my own and others' - and I can fight without using my flames, though I'm still learning, and - "

"Wait." Kaylin blinked. Reborn had a couple questions, but picked just one for now. "Flames?" She blinked again.

"Oh! I forgot that I've never really told anyone..." She lowered her eyes and laughed bitterly. "Although, I guess _someone _knew. They must have been tracking me for a while, considering how quickly I was...caught." She shook her haid, banishing that train of thought.

"Have you heard of...how do you say it in Japanese... **crap. **You'd think I'd have stopped to learn that... Well, I suppose the closest thing to the English name would be _nani no honoo. Fiamma di niente _in Italian. **Flame of Nil **in English. Or, more accurately, **flame of nothing,** but I've always called it the former - um. Are you listening?"

"Yeah." He had been looking to the side with his hand on his chin, deep in thought. "...That would explain...several things." He didn't elaborate.

Kaylin thought for a moment. "Hey, what word of me traveled ahead of me to Italy?"

He regarded her. "Your asking what I know of your abilities?"

Kaylin nodded, while Reborn frowned in thought.

"Not much," he confessed. "Mostly rumors and a few reports from your past joint operations with the family. You were impervious to damage, recovering cuts, blunt force, and bullet wounds faster than one could blink. In the face of overwhelming numbers, you kept coming. That story's what earned you your name of 'Demon.'"

Kaylin cringed. "That...is somewhat exaggerated."

Reborn just smirked. "I figured. But then there's the mission reports I've happened to read out of boredom and at the insistance of colleagues. The manner of your targets' death was always unusual compared to more traditional assassination targets often bled out from 'wounds' to the neck or 'holes' in the head, among other things. It was as if the flesh or bone were simply removed.

"But, the method of attack wasn't able to be determined by examining the corpses; the wounds were too clean to be cuts or the result of some kind of acid or basic substance. The points at which the flesh was separated were at a molecular level. And witness reports stated that you used your bare hands, which didn't match up with the wounds, either.

"But now that you've mentioned the flame of nil, which is said to have a property of cancellation, the manner of the targets' death makes sense. In reality, the existence of a crucial part of their body was effectively denied."

Kaylin was gaping as Reborn finished his long-winded explanation and conclusion. "Th-that...**Oh.**..A molecular level...? **I didn't even know that...**" She mumbled to herself.

Not giving her any time to gather her thoughts, he asked, "Can you show me?"

Kaylin blinked, then shook herself out of her reverie. "Oh. Um, yeah," she replied smartly. "Er, let me get a knife..." She hopped up and rummaged around in her small kitchen.

_Bang._

Reborn finished the dregs of his coffee.

_Clatter._

**"Shit."**

"Can I get a refill?"

_Clatterclank._

"Yeah! I'll bring the pitcher, just a second."

_Clank. Ping._

**"Son of a -"**

_CRASH._

**"**_**What the fuck did I do with the godforsaken knives?!"**_

Reborn and Leon blinked at each other, the former shrugging, the latter tilting his head. Hina simply sweatdropped at her companion, mentioning to Leon how this was actually rather normal. Leon made strange chortling, chirping noise akin to a snicker.

Finally Kaylin emerged from the kitchen, paring knife in one hand, pot of coffee in the other, looking (rather) frazzled.

Leon and Hina jumped as Kaylin more or less slammed the pitcher onto the kotatsu after having refilled Reborn's mug, some of the substance sloshing precariously around the sides of the container, while said infant took it in stride, simply proceeding to sip from his freshly filled mug.

"Thank you," he said.

"No problem," she tossed back, not missing a beat as she promptly plopped herself onto the floor, knife gleaming dangerously in the light of the sun.

Kaylin took a deep breath as Reborn set down his mug, and scooted it to the side. He hopped to his feet and moved closer to the redhead to have a better view of what she was about to show him. He seated himself and patiently waited.

"Okay," she started. Placing the small knife harmlessly to the side, she held her right hand in front of her. "I'll not half-ass this and explain it as properly as I can, since this is...weird."

* * *

><p>I took a steadying breath. While manifesting the flame had used to be second nature to me, it'd been a while.<p>

Like, a while.

I felt the energy in my veins, my flesh, my bones; inside the molecules, residing in the empty space between and in my very atoms. That was the essence of nil, of null, of the void. Vaccuum space. The absence of any kind of positive matter. I pulled at the life energy that used to so overflow from me that I began healing once wounded almost instantaneously, coaxing it out of hiding and into the the habited space of the air.

Something looking like a heat wave flickered into existence in the palm of my hand. Reborn watched intently, probably taking in every detail.

"People thought I used my bare hands because the flame is nearly invisible, I imagine. The fact that it can be visually percieved at all is because of its reaction with the elements that make up air. When manifested, it's basically antimatter."

"Which cancels out positive matter atom by atom, resulting in the cancellation of the flesh of your targets' bodies."

"From what I understand, yeah. And it hurts like hell."

"I imagine," Reborn mused.

"Which is why - " I dispersed the flame, reabsorbing it as my life energy, and snatched up the knife with my right hand. " - I got this. I've found that being cut by a blade is much less painful than melting away my flesh myself." I took a bracing breath as I held my left wrist in front of me. "Not that this doesn't hurt..."

Getting it over with in a quick motion, I finished the cut before my brain even registered the pain. I sucked in air through my teeth as the stinging burn hit. But as quickly as it started, it begain to fade. The wound wasn't just healing; it was unhappening, looking like it was zipping itself back closed.

"In it's non-condensed state, it acts automatically within my body to undo any damage done. Any radical changes at all, actually. I couldn't get a tattoo if I wanted one, for example."

Reborn hummed as the wound finally ceased to exist. "It's seamless," he noted.

"Mm..." I touched the wristband under my elbow without thinking. Reborn noted this, though I didn't notice his change in attention. "I've found that if a wound is too severe, though, it'll leave a kind of scar. None that I care to show," I added. Reborn frowned.

"Anyways," I moved on, changing the subject, "If I focus, I can curb the flow of the energy and somewhat postpone the healing." I swiftly made another cut in roughly the same spot, this time letting it bleed for a moment, then let the energy do what it likes to do before any blood could make a mess. I lowered my arm once the wound had closed.

I laid the little blade down to the side, and Reborn leaned back, having scooted forward in his focus. "Incidentally, that's how _they _succeeded in making me sick."

Reborn hummed once more. "You mentioned earlier that you can heal others?"

"Ah, yeah. When I manifest the flame I can apply it to someone's body by manipulating it back into non-physical energy. They have to accept it though, so I can't go and heal an unwilling patient."

The baby was silent for a moment, hand on his chin again in thought.

"It truly is a unique Dying Will flame. But, like the Flame of Wrath, it can be weilded without a special material and be manifested without entering Dying Will Mode."

That said, he stood up and paced over to his probably cold coffee. He frowned down at it.

I raised an eyebrow and poorly supressed a grin. He looked like he was pouting. "Don't like cold coffee?"

His frown deepened. "No, I don't."

I chuckled then (it wasn't a giggle).

(No, I swear.)

"Do you want me to heat it up for you?"

He made a sound under his breath that suspiciously sounded like a "tch" and turned to me. "No, it's getting late, you can have it. Maman will probably be making dinner soon. I don't want ...to..." He trailed off.

I blinked. "Uhm? Are you okay...?...Reborn?"

I reached foreward cautiously and was about to poke his cheek when a bubble suddenly sprang from his nose. I snatched my hand back in surprise, staring wide-eyed at him. Then my jaw nearly dropped as a little snore escaped from him.

...

...

_"Oh, my," _Hina chimed.

I couldn't help but nearly double over trying to surpress my laughter, and I new my face was instantaneously red. I slapped my hand over my mouth but soon ran out of breath and had to gasp in air.

"He was going to leave because he was tired!" I had tears in my eyes. "_Oh, man, _Hina, I haven't laughed that hard in..." I sobered somewhat, wiping my eyes. "...In years."

I could sense her smiling gently, sadly. I sighed in content.

I looked out at the nearing sunset. "It is getting a little late, though." I glanced at Reborn, fast asleep while standing. I heaved a sigh. "...I'm going to have to take him to Tsuna's house, aren't I." It wasn't a question.

I lightly clapped the kotatsu and got to my feet.

"Come on you two," I smiled at the small animals who had been in companionable silence with their respective humans for hours. Hina quickly climbed up my pant leg and shirt and onto my shoulder. She seemed to motion with her head at Leon. He seemed to tilt his head in thought.

I leaned kneeled down and held my hand out to him, palm up. He froze and flicked his tongue out, sniffing me. He tilted his head at me. I tilted mine back. He seemed to meet my eyes for a moment.

He then proceeded to crawl onto my hand.

I grinned widely at him as he scurried up my arm and onto my unoccupied right shoulder. I giggled (I admit it this _one time_, alright?) at him and looked down to the sleeping Reborn.

Sighing one more time just out of principle, I gently scooped him up and tried to hold him in a way that wasn't actually cradling him; I thought that might be a little demeaning to him, although it was kind of hard.

I got him settled and padded to the door. I shouldered Reborn's weight (babies are heavier than one might think) and grabbed the housekey off of the kitchen counter. Stepping (and nearly tripping) over the little step that Japanese homes have and struggled into my shoes. I left the building and locked up. I glanced down at my temporary charge and huffed a little.

**"You're lucky I know where Tsuna lives, kid."**


	4. Some Matronly Persuasion à la Nana

**A/N:**

**You GUYS. wITH YOUR FAVorites and JUNK!**

**huhuHUHUHUHueheeehuehee**

**Oh yeah.**

**[Boring Disclaimer: Seriously I don't claim to own anything about Reborn! and the only thing that is mine would be the OC scenes not in the original works blah blah don't be a dick about it, it's FANFICTION.]**

**PS Sorry that this took so long. I literally JUST finished chapter five, after all, and I wanna make sure that I never actually run out of chapters.**

**PS again I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL FUTA SHOWS UP BECAUSE THAT DAMN KID IS FREAKIN' ADORABLE and freakin' Kaylin is gonna pop when Lamba and I-pin show up and then Futa is just gonna break Kaylin's maternal instincts in half and just. just damn dude it's gonna be fantastic and so fun to write i CAN'T WAIT OMG**

**ENJOY YOUR HEARTS OUT YOU BEAUTIFUL MOTHERFUCKERS**

**Oh, I haven't said this, yet I don't think, but I'll generally be mixing elements of the anime and manga together, such as Gokudera's smoking habit and Yamamoto's emo period. But the anime has a more balanced layout with comedy, fight, comedy, fight et cetera, as opposed to the manga switching almost completely to fighting (I'm still reading the manga, btw).**

**ANYHOO**

**ENJOY**

* * *

><p>I found myself standing outside the Sawada household well before the sun set. Which was good, because my arms were going numb. I believe I'd mentioned before how surprisingly heavy babies were.<p>

"Um..."

_"Just open the gate." _Hina grumped at me.

"But I am definitely not comfortable with that."

_"Why not?"_

"It's a _gate._ And it's _closed._"

_"Is it locked?"_

...

"...No."

_"Then it's open."_

I scowled at her logic. I stared at the door for a second before I noticed a doorbell.

And it's not like I could reach the doorbell from _outside _the gate...

I pursed my lips. The doorbell was meant to be used...

But the gate...

I mean, I have Reborn with me...

Wake him up!

No no no no, my instinct told me that that would _not _have been good for my health.

Then you'll have to ring the doorbell...

_But the gate...!_

No, you have Reborn with you, you'll be forgiven if it's actually considering trespassing and/or creeping around your classmate/boss' house.

...

I nudged the gate open with my foot.

Not even a creak. That's good.

**"Why do I feel like a burglar...?" **I muttered to myself. I was pretty sure I looked sketchy as fuck. And I was looking around like a shifty-eyed creep.

I took a step forward.

No alarms. That was also good!

Another step. No attack dogs.

Great!

Another -

_"For fuck sake Kaylin, rung the damn bell!"_

_!_

_..._

I "eep"d louder than any doorbell, I think.

_"Ara, Tsu-kun, did you hear that?"_

...

They apparently had the windows open.

_**Aw, shit.**_ I scowled at Hina, who scuttled down my shirt and into my pants pocket.

**"You cheeky little shit."**

_"Eh? I didn't hear anything."_

_"I think there's someone at the door."_

_Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit I'm gonna get caught trespassing with the baby of the house in my arms oh dear gods of the land and Buddha I don't want to go to foreign prison again -_

The doorknob turned.

_GASP._

"Who could it be at suppertime - Oh! Who might you be - _Oh! _Reborn-kun!"

I was frozen in place.

Tsuna's mom answered the damn door.

What the _fuck, _Tsuna?!

"Are you a friend of Tsu-kun's from school?"

I jerked. "Uh - um," I answered like the sliver-tongue I knew I was on the inside.

Tsuna's (pretty, I noted belatedly) mom called over her shoulder, still holding the door open, "Tsu-kun~! A pretty girl from school is at the door!"

_Pr -_

There was a crash from the kitchen.

I was already so frazzled that my mind stopped working for a second. I think my head puffed steam I turned red so fast.

"_E-eh?!"_

_Thump thump thump, SLAM._

"Kaa-san, what are - _Kaylin?! _And Reborn!"

Everything was a fuzzy blur as I was ushered inside, relieved of the burden of a baby in my arms, somehow guided out of my shoes, and plopped down at a kotatsu.

Eh?

Tsuna was at the doorway to the living room looking just as frazzled as I was and Tsuna's mom, who introduced herself as Nana, was standing cheerily before me, holding a spatula.

I belatedly noticed that Reborn was just lain down on the kotatsu with his fedora beside him.

"Supper's almost ready, why don't you stay?"

I snapped out of my stupor. "Eh?! N-no, ma'am, I was just going to drop Reborn off and-"

Nana waved the spatula at me, "Oh, _no~ _Kei-chan! Just call me Mama!"

_Eh?_

"B-but ma'a - err, Mama... you really don't have to do that, I was going to just go home, I don't want to intrude-!"

"_Nonsense!_ I insist you stay, it's no trouble at all! I'm more than happy to cook dinner for one of Tsuna's friends." She - were those sparkles? Another Kyoko?! - beamed at me and turned on her heel and practically skipped out of the room. On her way out she sang, "Besides, it sounded like Tsu-kun spilled something in the kitchen, so I'll have to make more, anyways~!" Tsuna flushed a little after his mother swung out the door and into the kitchen (following Tsuna's stare) around the corner.

_"Kaa-san!"_

"Tsu-kun, keep Kei-chan company, would you? I'll take care of the rest of supper!"

...

He slumped and trudged forward, plopping down on the other side of the table.

And we sat.

...

_Wait, "Kei-chan?"_

* * *

><p>A defeated looking Tsuna.<p>

A supremely frazzled looking Kaylin.

...

A napping Reborn.

Tsuna heaved a long suffering sigh. His eyes shifted sheepishly from Reborn to Kaylin, gaze flickering between the two as he fidgeted.

"I, um, I'm sorry about this, Kaylin." She blinked at him, and he smiled nervously, rubbing his hand across the back of his head. "Once my mom gets an idea in her head it's kind of hard to get her to change her mind..." _Or see reason, _he inwardly grimaced.

"No, I mean, I'm not the one being inconvenienced here..." She tried to smile reassuringly, but it looked more like a cringe. "But, she looked so happy, I didn't really have the heart to outright tell her 'no'..."

Tsuna seemed to slump a little and she waved her hands in front of her face, "I'm not complaining! I guess I mean to say that I don't really mind," she flushed a little as she finished, "seeing how excited she seemed..." This time Kaylin fidgeted. She was...very unaccustomed to people being so happy toward _her._

Tsuna blinked at her flushed cheeks and lack of eye contact. Granted, he hadn't known her for even a week, but he didn't imagine that she had this flustered side to her. Her metallurgic eyes didn't seem so sharp, at the moment.

He didn't notice it, but his taut shoulders relaxed, just a little.

Suddenly, Kaylin twitched. Something rustled in her pocket and she blinked.

"Oh!"

Tsuna blinked curiously as Kaylin reached into her pocket and pulled out something fuzzy. With a tail. And...whiskers...? _The rat?!_

He started rather violently.

"Hiiiee-" A hand slapped quickly over his mouth. _"Hmmnph?!"_

Kaylin had leaned precariously across the table in alarm, the rodent cradled in one hand to her chest, other hand clamped over Tsuna's mouth.

"Hiiii~," she finished for him, "-na." Her look was alarmingly stern and the metallic glint in her eyes was back. Tsuna let out another muffled 'hiie?!' without thinking and nearly broke into a cold sweat.

_'No, no, no, her eyes are definitely still terrifying!'_

Kaylin sighed and her eyes softened. "Her name is Hina." She removed her hand and sat back down. The rat - Hina - poked her head out from behind the hand holding her. Tsuna watched in mild amazement and bewilderment as Kaylin smiled warmly at the rodent and pet her little head. Then he immediately twitched in alarm when her sharp eyes swung up to him again.

"I told you earlier today that she offends easily." Tsuna sweatdropped as her expression rapidly shifted into something that looked suspiciously like a pout. "She's only a rat, you know! Like a super smart little dog!"

He tried to banish the look of disbelief he knew was on his face. Surprisingly, Kaylin snorted.

"Even if you don't believe that about all rats, you should believe it about her." She smiled as Hina hopped down onto the kotatsu and trotted over to stand in front of Tsuna. His eyes widened and he straightened. "Go ahead, let her sniff your finger."

Hina tilted her head at him, patient.

Tsuna debated; he kind of _really _didn't want to, but he was rather curious...and the rodent was kind of cute. Being so fluffy and all.

"...Does she bite?"

Kaylin snorted. "Not unless someone deserves it." Tsuna frowned a little but seemed to cave.

Guardedly, hesitantly, he offered her his finger. He almost flinched as she leaned forward and wiggled her whiskers as she sniffed. Kaylin huffed a laugh under her breath.

"You're so twitchy, Tsuna." He puffed out his cheeks but didn't say anything.

_He knew he was, dammit!_

Mildly irritated and somewhat close to pouting himself he glanced down at Hina and actually softened a little bit.

"I guess...when they're not scurrying around underfoot or something, rats are...kind of cute," he admitted. He scratched behind her ear with the tip of his finger and smiled a little despite himself when the rat licked him.

Kaylin grinned at them both. "See? She appreciates you scratching her favorite spot." She gave a pause as Hina turned her head to her. Kaylin rolled her eyes. "Don't freak out; she's gonna climb up your arm."

Tsuna blinked and didn't get a chance to say anything before the ball of fuzz scurried up his sleeve and onto his shoulder.

"Good thing you're wearing sleeves," Kaylin noted as she leaned her chin on her hand. With a little wiggle of her rump in preamble, Hina nimbly hopped to the top of Tsuna's head, sinking down in the fluff as the boy gave a surprised 'hiie!'

The redheaded teen immediately beamed at the sight. _"Aww! _That's adorable! I can barely even see her!" She slapped her hands to her cheeks to suppress the giggles and hide the flush she knew was there. Tsuna sweatdropped as she squirmed like a child who couldn't wait to get candy.

For as long as she's remembered, she's had such intense maternal instincts that she's nearly incapacitated by cute things. No matter how many people she's killed or hurt, no matter how violent she's had to be in the past absolutely nothing has managed to so much as dim her reaction to cute things.

Before he realized that he was even speaking, he noted aloud, "You're not actually as scary a person as I thought you'd be."

Kaylin stopped squirming and blinked at the boy in front of her with wide eyes. "...You thought I was scary?"

Tsuna jerked and started shaking his head, Hina peaking out from behind the fuzz of his hair in question. "N-no, well, ye-yes, I mean, you usually seem intimidating to everyone, which, now that I think of it, makes sense since you're in the...mafia..." He trailed off, looking like he wanted to sprint out of the room. _'And she's in my house!'_

Kaylin looked mildly alarmed and quickly spoke up, "That's true, but I'm not a bad guy, I promise!" She made a quick decision when she said, "In fact, I came all the way to Japan to join the Vongola Tenth's - namely your - family..." The end of her declaration ended in a bit of a whisper as she seemed to shrink, hands fidgeting in front of her.

Tsuna looked absolutely floored. "You what?! Like I've been telling Reborn, I -" He caught himself and lowered his voice to a stage whisper, throwing a look over his shoulder at the door of the living room. "_I have no intention of being a part of the mafia!_ I don't want to have anything to do with something as dangerous as that!" He told her desperately.

To his surprise Kaylin only looked at him sadly, not surprised to hear him say that in the least.

_Well, _she thought,_ he'll come to terms with it someday._

"Baka-Tsuna."

* * *

><p>Tsuna and I both jumped out of their skin at the squeaky voice of Reborn.<p>

"Reborn!" Tsuna exclaimed. "Don't scare people like that!"

To Tsuna's consternation he was ignored as Reborn continued, "Don't be so rude. A high class hitman came all the way across the world wanting to be your subordinate."

Tsuna balked. "Eh?! You're that strong, Kaylin?!"

Hina hopped from Tsuna's head to the table, landing with a surprisingly loud _thump _and scurried around Reborn and over to me.

I shifted and laughed nervously. "Ah, well, I had a good run when I was younger...But, I retired from being a gun for hire a couple years ago. Now, I'm afraid I'm kind of rusty, so I may not be able to do what I used to." I had to lie.

I glanced at Reborn, who had frowned, but seemed to nod minutely in understanding.

"Oi, Baka-Tsuna. Go help Maman in the kitchen."

Tsuna's eye twitched. "Eh? If she needed help she'd have -"

I jumped as a tiny black foot connected with the side of Tsuna's head.

"Go be a helpful son, ingrate."

I sweatdropped as Tsuna (hurriedly) trudged out of the room holding his head, muttering something that was possibly a string of obscenities that I'd be proud of.

"...Spartan teaching, huh...?"

He turned to me with a nonchalant air as he said, "It's my favorite method." I gave a nervous chuckle as he proceeded to sit down across from me at (on) the table.

"We never quite finished our discussion before."

I nodded solemnly and didn't say anything.

He continued, "You have answered most of my questions to my satisfaction. Except one that I have yet to ask."

I frowned. "And that is?"

He tilted his fedora back to look at me better. "Why do you want to join Tsuna's family?"

Ah.

"I mentioned back at my apartment that I was interested in settling down." The baby nodded. I was silent for a moment, biting my lip. "I came to the heir, to Tsuna...for a fresh start." I looked at Reborn directly, hoping that he saw my sincerity.

"I honestly intended to try to join the Ninth's family after I had finished that mission. For reasons we've previously discussed, I didn't get that chance." I smiled a little sadly. "And it didn't take much information gathering to see that the Ninth was looking for an heir. I learned it was Tsuna and decided it was best for me to leave the country, anyways.

"A kid in middle school who hasn't even been introduced to any of the awful things that happen in the mafia? That's the best I could have hoped to find.

"Honestly, those selfish reasons were why I came here to begin with. But after only knowing Tsuna for a few days...I've got this instinct to...lessen any blows that this shitty world might throw at him."

I looked at Reborn directly.

"I can definitely see now that I made the right choice in coming to him," i confused, voice steady.

The infant regarded me silently. As much as I actually disliked eye contact outside of fighting, I didn't look away. I could sense the importance of this moment.

"Kei-chan~!"

...

"Bring Reborn-kun, would you? Supper's ready!"

My eye twitched.

...

"...Kei-chan...?" I muttered before I could catch myself.

Reborn tilted his fedora down, failing to hide a smirk. He hopped off the table.

"Tsuna will just have to accept it."

_Wait, what?_

_..._

I looked sharply at him, eyes wide. "Then..."

He didn't turn to look at me as he continued to the hallway.

"Of course. You'd make a very valuable asset to Tsuna's family."

...

I couldn't move for a moment before I beamed and slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the giggles of happiness that uncontrollably bubbled up from my throat. I put my face to the table and held my stomach as I grinned so hard that tears filled my eyes.

"Kei-chan~?"

I sprung up from my position and felt Hina clamor up my leg and into my pocket. I bounded into the hallway and into the kitchen, where I could smell the wonderful aroma of a home-cooked meal.

I stared at the small feast that was arranged at the table.

Nana beamed and sparkled at me as she motioned to a seat next to where Tsuna was already seated.

"Have a seat!"

I swallowed saliva that had collected under my tongue at the sight. A great bunch of rice in a cooker, hamburgers, _mashed potatoes, _fried vegetables including bamboo shoots and a whole cornucopia of things that I couldn't seem to name, breaded fish, and some Japanese looking noodle-y stuff that I also couldn't name if you paid me.

I had just opened my mouth to say _something _when my stomach spoke for me. Kind of loudly. I couldn't even be bothered to be embarrassed I was so awestruck.

Tsuna sweatdropped, Reborn just hopped into his boosted chair, and Nana swept me over to my seat with an amused "Ara."

I plopped into my seat across from Reborn, my stomach taking over where my brain had stopped working. Nana seated herself across from Tsuna, still beaming and sparkling at..the world, I supposed.

Before I could think of _anything _Tsuna and Nana chorused out an "Itadakimasu!" And supper began.

* * *

><p>Nana had made so much food, between the four of us we barely finished it all.<p>

But at Nana's frequent insistence, I ate until I was full.

And I mean full.

I was five months pregnant with a food baby, dammit. Reborn actually looked mildly impressed, Tsuna was in permanent deadpan mode, and Nana just seemed delighted at my appetite.

As I finished the last of the food on my plate (and on the table) I leaned back with a _very _satisfied sigh. Until I realized that I had actually left them with no leftovers. I apologized quite a bit, but Nana just graciously waved away my concerns with a smile.

"You're the first friend Tsuna's ever had over for supper!" Tsuna objected at that with a flush - but didn't actually deny it, I noted. "It was my pleasure to cook for you, Kei-chan." She, for the umpteenth time that night, beamed and sparkled at me.

I glanced out the window of the kitchen and was (not really) surprised to see the sun had nearly completely set.

"Oh, my, it's gotten so late!" Nana noted. "Do you live far, Kei-chan?" I had long ago accepted that Tsuna's mom was calling me by that weird name. I didn't have the heart to tell her not to. And I wouldn't admit it to myself, but it was sort of starting to grow on me.

"Um, no, not very far. I could probably get there in five minutes or so." If I ran.

"You'll be okay to walk home by yourself, then? If you're worried, Tsu-kun could walk you home," she offered.

"Eh?!" Tsuna looked alarmed. Or maybe that was just annoyance.

"Oh, no that's okay. I'm...quite proficient in self defence." Nana looked impressed.

"Ara, then maybe you could look after Tsu-kun~!"

"Kaa-san! I don't need looking after!" He objected.

I chuckled a little at the irony. That and Tsuna's relationship with his mom.

"Um," I started, "actually, I was wondering if you needed help cleaning up the kitchen?"

She smiled warmly at me. "That'd be such help! I got over-excited and made too much and ended up with so many dishes to wash!"

I smiled and fidgeted a little. "Where do I start?"

It only took about thirty minutes with the three of us (not including Reborn, of course, who had gone to bed) all cleaning up. Nana and I had rinsed the dishes in the sink while Tsuna loaded the dishwasher. It was pretty efficient, actually. Well, it _would _have been efficient had I not been horrible at washing dishes. That's why it took thirty minutes in the first place.

All said and done I was feeling pretty useless.

"My, Kei-chan, it's like you've never washed dishes before!" Nana chimed with a giggle.

I laughed nervously, not saying anything back.

The fact was that I hadn't, actually. But I wouldn't mention that.

Before I could do anything to muffle it, a yawn escaped my lips. I could only cover it with my hands and flush a little afterwards.

Nana fretted a little. "Oh, if I knew you were so tired I'd have sent you home, already!"

"Oh, no," I assured her with a tired smile, "the fatigue only just hit."

The matron frowned, but seemed convinced enough. "Well, if you say so. Will you be leaving, now, Kei-chan?" She inquired.

I nodded, stifling another yawn. "Yeah, I suppose so, before it gets...oh." I had looked to the window while speaking and noticed that, yeah, it was definitely already dark. The streetlights had already kicked on.

Nana hummed and frowned again. I looked to her in question.

"You know, I think I'll have Tsu-kun walk Kei-chan home, after all."

"Eh?!" We both chorused.

"No complaining, both of you," she sternly commanded.

I was actually quite surprised with myself when I immediately shut my mouth, my teeth clacking.

"I won't have my son let a girl walk home by herself after dark," she looked pointedly at me, "whether they're strong or not." She sniffed a little. "It's bad principle."

I sighed inwardly at Japan's more... traditional ways.

Tsuna sighed outwardly in defeat, though he looked more tired than anything. He'd had a long day, too, I reminded myself.

Nana quickly ushered us to the door. I was almost startled when she grasped my shoulders gently, but firmly with yet another warm smile on her face.

"Now, you come back whenever you want for supper or to visit, you hear me?" I blinked in surprise and began to speak when she continued, "My instincts tell me that you don't eat nearly as properly as you should!"

I could feel my cheeks flush at her hospitality and concern. She had just met me hours before and now she was inviting me to come back and eat more of their food. I apparently didn't say anything fast enough, so she pressed for a response.

"Understood?" Her tone was stern, though she was still smiling.

I jumped a little, but nodded lamely.

Her smile widened. "Good. Now, off you two go. You should be getting home, Kei-chan. And Tsuna, be back at least before nine, alright?"

And with that we were shut out of the house.

* * *

><p>Tsuna sweatdropped. "How long does she think this will take...?"<p>

Just then, a bundle of joy made itself unignorable in Kaylin and she broke into a fit of giggles. She laughed so much that she had almost doubled over in mirth before she could catch her breath, her crimson braid sliding over her shoulder. Her cheeks hurt and she had to wipe a tear from her eye. She couldn't knock the smile from her face even as she saw Tsuna looking at her a little strangely.

He had been rather startled at the seemingly sudden outburst. He was almost concerned for her mental health, wondering if she was more tired than she let on. But he was also a little concerned for himself...

Her voice was still a little breathless as she spoke, "I'm sorry! It's just been so long since I've been this happy," she confessed. She supposed the giggles made her a little talkative.

Tsuna looked mildly concerned at her statement as they started walking.

She had already spoken, so she decided to elaborate a little. "That was the first home-cooked meal I've had in...ages."

She smiled a little wryly at his surprised expression, but the emotion quickly faded as she let the happiness from before settle back over her.

"I've been dealing with the mafia for as long as I can remember."

_'As long as she can remember?' _He couldn't help but wonder what kind of life she had lived prior to moving here. Reborn had said that she was a first-rate hitman, but he still wasn't sure how seriously he took all of this mafia business.

"I moved around all the time, mostly in the midwest and west coast of the States. That's a lot of area to cover, so I never settled down anywhere for any reasonable length of time." She laughed a little to herself as she remembered, "Most of my meals were frozen first."

Tsuna deadpanned a little, and the redhead laughed at him. "I can't deny how bad that was. But I was a kid fending for myself. I didn't know or learn any other way to live." She frowned. "I still don't really."

Why was she telling him all of this? He was her boss now (though he didn't quite realize it, yet) sure, but they didn't _actually _know each other well. He probably didn't want to know any of this. Kaylin glanced at him and blinked in surprise.

He actually looked like he was listening. His brows were a little furrowed, a little frown on his face. Until he realized what he was doing and quickly looked away with a jump.

Something made Kaylin finish what she was meaning to say. "Sorry about that bit of my life story. The point was that...I guess your mom surprised me, is all." She huffed a little laugh. "A bit of a culture shock." She fiddled with her wristband a little, but Tsuna didn't really take notice as he curiously watched her expression change under the light of a street lamp.

Kaylin shook off the warm feeling in her chest at the thought of the events of that evening and grinned sheepishly at Tsuna. "I haven't even let you say a thing since we've been outside."

"Ah! N-no, that's okay." He smiled nervously, reminding himself to talk a little slowly for hersince she was a foreigner. "I was listening to your story, after all."

Kaylin looked away and smiled despite herself. This kid's definitely Vongola boss material.

Tsuna glanced at her as she hummed to herself.

She suddenly turned to him and said conversationally, "You're mom's a really good cook, huh?"

Tsuna sweatdropped a little at the sudden change of subject. He decided it would just be easier to go with it and nodded. "Nn, I guess she is."

Kaylin snorted. "She _definitely _is. I didn't think I even _liked _Japanese food before I ate that weird noodle and vegetable stuff." She patted her belly at the memory.

Tsuna snorted at her description of the rather common food. "That's yakisoba. You didn't know what that was called?" He questioned, looking up at her curiously. (He was still rather upset that a girl in his own grade was so much taller than him.)

The redhead's cheeks puffed out and she crossed her arms as she answered, "I only moved here four days ago! All I've been eating is Western food from frozen meals. That and rice with sugar."

The boy balked. "With sugar?! You're supposed to eat it with salt!"

Kaylin's expression didn't change. "But it's better with sugar..."

Tsuna sweatdropped, but his curiosity didn't fade any. "So..." Kaylin's indignation faded as she glanced at him, arms swinging back down to her sides. "You've never been to Japan before moving to Namimori?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I've only ever lived in America. Although I _was _in Italy for a few months prior to coming here, so I flew from there." She refused to think of the rest of her time in Italy. In fact, this was getting a little too close to home for her. "But I only consider that time more of an extended vacation." She tried to make a conclusive statement about Italy, trying to avoid further talk on the subject.

A weird feeling in Tsuna's gut made him notice her apparent growing discomfort. He had no idea what the problem could be, but he didn't want her to have to deal with it because of his stupid questions. He (lamely) changed the subject as best (still lamely) as he could. "Y-you, um, you speak Japanese really well!" He laughed nervously, desperately trying to keep the atmosphere light.

Kaylin noticed his efforts with a grin and (not that humbly) accepted the praise. "I'm actually rather proud of my language skills! My whole life I didn't realize it until I tried to learn Italian. I managed to become fluent in a month. Same for Japanese. Although," her grin turned a little embarrassed, "I still can't read any Japanese other than hiragana and some katakana. I can't read any kanji to save my life."

Tsuna looked away and laughed ruefully. He struggled with kanji himself.

His attention was drawn back to her as she exclaimed, "But, I'm learning! I've almost got katakana down, and I've got this -" she pulled something rectangular out of her pocket and brandished it proudly. Tsuna looked at the device interestedly as she continued, "It instantly translates any language to English in real-time for me."

Tsuna's eyebrows shot into his hair. "Eh?! It can do that?!"

Kaylin grinned in triumph at his reaction and pocketed the device once more. "Nn! I'll have to show it off some time." Tsuna actually found himself laughing at her enthusiasm.

Kaylin snorted and laughed herself.

They continued walking in companionable silence, surprisingly used to each other's presence.

"Ah, we're almost here." She furrowed her brows and turned to Tsuna, who looked at her in question as she stopped walking. "Um, we should probably part ways here, Tsuna." Before he could ask why she continued, "It's after dark, and...my apartment complex is in a bit of a rough area..." She trailed off, looking at him apologetically.

Tsuna blinked and then jerked in surprise. "Now that you mention it...!" He looked around almost frantically and Kaylin was a little worried he'd pop his neck.

"Well, we should be fine at this distance...maybe..." She trailed off uncertainly.

Tsuna snapped his head back to look at her. "Maybe?!"

She seemed to shrink a little and Tsuna reigned himself in, but was unable to keep his gaze from checking every shadow for even a little movement.

"W-well, I guess I'll go, then." She told him, _trying _not to feel bad.

He glanced at her and nodded. He hated to be rude to her, but he _really _wanted to not go any further into a rough neighborhood after dark.

Kaylin began to walk away with a little wave, managing a pretty (both in the 'rather' and 'sort of actually a little pretty as noted by Tsuna' sense) warm smile. "I'll see you in the morning, Tsuna."

He started to back away, getting kind of twitchy. "A-ah, I'll see you at school." As soon as he rounded that corner he was going to sprint like his life depended on it because it maybe _did _and don't panic yet, Tsuna, it'll be fine, just -

"Oh, Tsuna!"

He was snapped back from his almost panicking thoughts as Kaylin called back to him from several meters away. He looked back at her with wide eyes, almost desperate to get back into the safety of his home. _'God, I'm such a wimp!'_

"Tell..um..."

He cocked an eyebrow at her sudden hesitation. He couldn't see it from there, but Kaylin was rather grateful for the cover of night as she fought the urge to hide her cheeks; she knew they were probably nice and pink by now.

"Um...tell your mom that I said t-thank you, okay? She, um, it was really nice of her to offer supper...to a stranger like me." As soon as she was finished, she took off at a jog down the road with a 'bye, then!' tossed over her shoulder, not waiting for a reply.

Tsuna furrowed his brows at that.

But he was quickly yanked out of his ponderings as he saw a shadow move in the corner of his eye (it was a cat).

With a 'hiiiee!' he took off around the corner at a breakneck (for him) speed.

He reached home and nearly immediately went into his room (nearly getting beaten to death for waking Reborn). Why was he sleeping in _Tsuna's_ room, anyways?!

Although he did remember to tell his mom what Kaylin said.


	5. A(nother) New Kid In Town

**Mutt: You know, I probably should ha -**

**Kei: Definitely.**

**Mutt - **_**definitely **_**should have posted a disclaimer before now.**

**Tsuna: Hiiee! You haven't done that yet? Can't we get in trouble for that?!**

**Kei: **_**She **_**can get in trouble for that.**

**Tsuna: That's still bad, though!**

**Mutt: Aw, he cares! And I didn't even poop him out of my brain!**

**Tsuna: What are you talking about?!**

**Kei: Dude, wtf.**

**Mutt: Oh, speaking of which -**

**Disclaimer: Reborn! and all of its original contents are not my brain poop! The only thing I claim to have pooped is -**

**Kei: DON'T.**

**Mutt: - my OC.**

**Kei: ...**

**Mutt: I had to, man. You're my brain baby. I am your -**

**Kei: Don't fucking -**

**Mutt: - brain mother.**

**Kei: **_**Son of a -**_

**Tsuna: On with the story! Na? **_**Na?!**_

* * *

><p><strong>Also warning: traumatized angst in this chapter.<strong>

**If it's too much somehow, just let me know and I'll try not to do it in the future, 'kay?**

* * *

><p>So Reborn thought it would be a great idea to wake me up at 6:30 in the morning. School started at, what, 8:30?<p>

I was asleep that morning (like I was supposed to be, like a good student) in a heap in my futon (which I was still getting used to, by the way), which was a tangled, floppy mess (again, still adjusting). I had been sleeping lightly (a skill required for a life of killing), so I immediately pushed myself up and into a kneeling position when I heard the window rattle.

Although I was more or less still asleep, as I was moving solely on instinct.

"The...hell...?" I slurred in my maiden language. "Maiden language" is a thing and I was exhausted, so shut up. I glanced around wearily, fighting back the urge to yawn so I could stay as alert as possible. I spotted Reborn balancing on the window sill. And then I spotted Hina on his shoulder.

_"Relax, Kaylin. He sought me out while I was doing rounds; I showed him the back door, as it were. Did you know that he can understand me?"_

I blinked blearily. Then I shifted my weight until I plopped inelegantly onto my backside with a little huff, letting out the yawn I had stifled while I covered my eyes with my hand and leaned the connecting elbow on my knee.

"Good morning," Reborn seemed to chirp with his baby voice.

"Mneeuh."

Without commenting on my lack of coherent words, the baby proceeded to completely invade my home by hopping down from the window sill. Hina proceeded to hop down from him and scurried over to me, where she buried herself under the futon, only to stick her face back out so she could watch/listen to whatever the hell it was that was going to follow.

* * *

><p>"Sorry to wake you so early on a school day."<p>

For some reason Kaylin doubted the sincerity of his words, but didn't point that out. She pushed her severely disshelved hair away from her face and twisted it into some sort of half-assed bun, securing it at the top of her head with a hair tie from her wrist. Reborn lifted an amused eyebrow at the state of her usually shiny, if always somewhat messy, locks of deep crimson.

Despite her lethargic state, Kaylin picked up on the baby's attitude. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I need coffee now. Want some?" Before he could answer she had already stumbled to her feet. She tossed a lazy grin his way as she turned to the kitchen. "I bought some whipped cream and sprinkles."

The infant smirked a little himself at her (sort of) enthusiasm. "Then make it your fanciest espresso." The girl gave a somewhat impressive cackle as she vanished into the kitchen for a moment.

Reborn surveyed Kaylin's living space. The futon was a mess and the kotatsu was simply pushed off to the side to make room. He inwardly sighed. He had his work cut out for him with her case, too. In a different way than he did with Tsuna.

An incredibly loud yawn was heard from the kitchen and Kaylin sluggishly leaned on the frame of the entryway to the kitchen. She yawned once more before she finally asked, "So, should I be concerned?"

Reborn smirked and replied, "That's actually why I came here so early; so that you wouldn't be."

Kaylin gave a small frown and furrowed her brows. Reborn elaborated.

"I called someone from Italy to try to kill Tsuna."

"You did what?!" All of her sleepiness just kamikaze'd out the window and she looked like she was about to rant Reborn's ears off, so he quickly continued; angering a teenage girl was not anywhere near his to-do list.

"It's for the purpose of expanding Tsuna's family."

"How?!"

He jumped right in. "Hurricane Bomb Hayato. Have you heard of him?"

She had been about to snap at him for his cryptic bullshit, but she realized that the name rang a bell. "Actually, yeah... He was that... kid that killed dozens of bosses of small-ish mafia families in Sicily when he was like eight, right?"

Reborn nodded. "He was actually a little older, though. Now he's around Tsuna's age."

Kaylin hummed in thought as she turned around to get the coffee. She took a few minutes to prepare it, then walked back into the living room with two frothy mugs of fancy espresso coffee in her hands. "And he - lemme pull up the table - he's who you called?"

Reborn nodded as he observed her deftly pull the kotatsu over to the middle of the room with her foot. She kicked her futon out of the way, making Hina jump up onto the table an instant beforehand to avoid being kicked, too. She sat the mugs onto the table and thudded onto her backside. Reborn hopped onto the table himself and took a seat beside his coffee. He picked it up and smelled it in appraisal before taking a sip.

It was surprisingly rather good.

Kaylin barely bothered to taste what she drank as she gulped down several swigs of the stuff. She set the mug down with a thump. Reborn amusedly noted how she reminded him of someone who took a long drink of alcohol after a long day. Leon dropped from his partner's fedora and scuttled over to rest next to Hina. It seemed like the two began talking to each other.

Kaylin pinched the bridge of her nose. Many thoughts and complaints were running amok in her head - too many to even attempt to make much sense of after having just woke up. She figured it wasn't much use to flip out on him before she knew anything, so she held her fingertips to her forehead in a tired gesture and refrained from doing such. "So... what should I know about this kid?"

Straight to the point, Reborn thought.

"His full name is Gokudera Hayato. I assume you've gathered from his alias that he uses explosives?" She nodded, so he continued. "You'll find out rather quickly without me telling you, but his choice of weapons, namely dynamite, quite fits his temperament."

"Fantastic."

"I don't know that much about him personally other than that." Little bitty fib. "However, we'll certainly get the opportunity to learn about him firsthand."

Kaylin's stomach dropped at the mischievous tone of his voice. "That's because...?"

Reborn smirked at her unease. "He's a transfer student in your and Tsuna's class tomorrow."

Kaylin's mouth dropped and the information clicked. "Wait, wait, wait - you said that all of this was for the purpose of expanding Tsuna's family - you intend for this kid to join?"

"That's the idea."

The redhead pinched the bridge of her nose again, a few locks falling from her updo. "And he's going to attack Tsuna."

Reborn nodded.

"And you expect that the kid's going to lose."

Reborn smirked and nodded again.

"And by the rule of the family, he'll be forced to become Tsuna's subordinate that way."

"That's right."

"Son of a - I know you're aware of how dangerous this is!"

Reborn calmly took a sip of his coffee. "In Dying Will Mode, Tsuna won't lose."

"I know that, but the kid uses fucking dynamite. And he'll be going for the kill -!"

"Have a little more faith in your boss, Kaylin."

The girl stopped talking, her mouth froze open. Then she leaned her head on her hand and sighed before taking a long, long drink of her coffee.

"Because we clearly need another volatile personality around here," she mumbled resignedly. Reborn smirked again. So she admits it? He got on with the subject, though.

"His first day of school is tomorrow, but he arrived in Namimori some time yesterday."

Kaylin thought out loud, "So he'll be lurking around Tsuna by now. Is Tsuna safe for today?"

"I doubt Gokudera will make a move until tomorrow. Today he should just be observing."

Kaylin hummed, and began to lift her mug of coffee to her lips, but stopped midway. "There shouldn't be much to observe, though...right?"

Another smirk. "You catch on quickly, you know that? Today, Tsuna will be participating in a volleyball game between your class and class 1-C."

Another dropped jaw. "...What did you do." Her voice was flat.

Reborn frowned. "I'm hurt. What makes you think I did anything?"

"Of course you did something! How the hell did Tsuna get into that kind of position?"

The baby sniffed and looked away. "They ran out of regulars."

"..."

"And substitutes."

Kaylin groaned and slammed her head onto the kotatsu. Her muffled voice pushed its way over to Reborn. "What, did you give them food poisoning or something?"

"..."

Wait, what?

She peered up to see Reborn facing away from her, drinking his coffee.

"...I was right?"

Sip.

"...Um." Wait, had she hurt his pride?

Sip.

"...The sky's so blue, today," Reborn said with a dreamy voice to no one in particular.

...

_'Well, shit.'_

* * *

><p>I had somehow managed to mend Reborn's pride by the time he decided that it was time for him to get back home and wake Tsuna for school and tell him of his participation in the volleyball game that day. He said he'd inform Tsuna of the transfer student tomorrow, when it was pertinent.<p>

Before he left, I told him to tell Tsuna that I probably wouldn't be at school today and that I said "good luck with the game." He didn't ask me why I would be skipping school, so I assumed that he knew what I had planned.

While I really did want to be there to cheer Tsuna on, I wanted a chance to look into this kid myself, before he made a move. Reborn told me to have faith in Tsuna. I did trust him. I believed Reborn when he said that Tsuna would win in his Dying Will Mode. Who I didn't trust was this new kid.

"Gokudera Hayato." I sounded the name out.

_"What are you thinking?"_

I glanced at Hina, who was still settled onto the kotatsu, and walked over to her, kneeling down. She stopped her grooming and glanced at me, ears perked and head tilted.

"I'm going to hit up one of my old information networks, I think. Maybe call in a favor that I've yet to trade in."

The little fuzzball tilted her head at me, peering up to me with her... well, with her beady eyes. _"Are you going out?"_

I nodded and hummed. "I'll have to use a payphone. Good thing I break so many bills at the school store," I muttered. "And then I'll need to track down an internet cafe or something."

I stood up with an out of shape huff and stretched before I opened the closet and pulled out some jeans and one of my many (conservative, as I am in Japan) tank tops.

I had a chance to restock my wardrobe after being rescued in Italy, since nothing I used to own fit anymore, what with puberty and that kind of jazz. You'd think I'd have been scrawny after two years as a guinea pig, mostly strapped to a table the whole time, but I was kept surprisingly well-nourished. I didn't need any physical rehabilitation, either, since my muscles apparently couldn't atrophy. That was a plus, I guess.

I didn't bother going into the bathroom, as I couldn't see the street from where I stood. I was on the second floor, anyways - no one could see inside.

Which brought to my attention the fact that Reborn came and exited through my window.

_Don't question it._ I told myself. _Probably just used Leon somehow._

Settling on that (actually reasonable) answer, I proceeded to change. I looked down at myself once I had stripped to my underclothes. My movements slowed considerably, the mood in the room...dampening. I brushed my fingers along the strange scars on my stomach.

There was odd scar tissue there. At first it looked like a pink indent, but on closer inspection and after a little prodding, one could see the...oddity of the scars. There was a layer of skin that was particularly translucent over the scars - more than one layer in the nastier ones.

Usually when I healed, it was seamless. A few years ago, I thought that it'd be that way no matter what. That bubble burst after the...harsher experiments began. I learned that, like I told Reborn when we first met, if a certain amount of damage is done in a short period of time, it leaves something of a scar.

The tissue was more fragile, I had come to learn. It felt more fragile, too. Looked more fragile. Like it was barely there.

Suddenly there was a feeling of a vice around my lungs. The air seemed to thicken, like I was struggling to breathe through a damp towel. All of my limbs felt like they were pushing against the memories that invaded my mind with all of their might, and I started to shake.

There were scars that looked like cuts, some clumsy, some surgical-looking. I remembered how _don'trememberit_... There were oblong blotches that came from various kinds of acids. Those hurt. Acid broke through _pleasedon'trememberit. _But the worst was when _ohgoddon'trememberit -_

_"Kaylin?"_

The scars weren't on my hand anymore, but I remembered them. I remembered them. One time they broke my finger but they didn't let go. They didn't let go _don'trememberit _held _**don'trememberit **_pulled -

_**don't remember**_

_**for**_

_**get**_

_"Kaylin!"_

I jerked and froze. I pulled in a shaking breath and clasped my hands together to stop the trembling that had started without me noticing. I had started hyperventilating at some point, too. With the sudden large intake of oxygen, I got momentarily dizzy and had to brace myself on the closet door.

_Breathe,_ I directed myself._ Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Slow and steady._

I looked down and saw that Hina was standing up on her hind legs on my foot, little forepaws braced on my calf, supporting herself and me. Her worry was tangible.

_"Kaylin -"_

**"I'm fine," **I barked. I winced at the shakiness in my voice. That, and at the pain in my chest.

_"Kaylin, don't you _dare_ lie to me about this."_

I didn't reply as I put my hand to my chest and focused on my breathing, assessing the pain.

_"Kaylin, are you having an attack?"_

**"Don't think so."** I was being honest; my voice was more stable, and my breathing wasn't getting worse. I shouldn't have let myself get so worked up like that. I knew the state of my lungs was sometimes iffy... **"I think I'm fine."** I said shortly, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

One last deep breath and I stood up straight. Shook my head, banishing any remaining negative thoughts. I put on my tank top. I shook my foot, sending Hina hopping away from me as I pulled my jeans on. I shook out my legs and arms, then made sure my sweatband was securely in the right place on my forearm, hiding the one scar on my arm.

_"Kaylin..."_

"I'll be fine," I assured her, switching back over to Japanese. "It's over. Now, I gotta pee." I stomped away, muttering something like,** "Freakin' caffeine, man."**

I had realized my mistake already. I refused to linger in the subject any longer than that.

* * *

><p>I tracked down a payphone in the shopping district of Namimori, specifically an area with lots of groceries. I was relatively surprised at how busy it was this time of the morning; housewives - and a few men - were hitting up some sales on some - was that watermelon? Well, it was summer.<p>

And incidentally this worked out - no one would notice me in the crowd. Not that people noticing me would have made me feel suddenly guilty about not going to school. I had been the scum of society in my childhood, anyways.

...Funny how that was suddenly starting to bother me, though.

I had already done some figuring in my head - it was roughly 9:00 am now, meaning it was around 4:00 pm on the west coast of the States. A little early for the guy I was calling, but he should at least be about to set up shop by now...

It had been forever (more than two years, actually) since I'd talked to this person in particular, so I was admittedly a little nervous. _He should remember me, right?_ I thought as I started dialing the number that my muscles remembered after years of having dialed it every other week or so.

_Ri - click._

I jerked. _That was fucking _fast!

_"What the hell kind of number is this?"_

_..._

I sweat-dropped.

_"You have two seconds before -"_

"It's Kaylin!" I blurted without much thought, easily slipping into English.

There was silence; I didn't even hear him breathing into the receiver. I was concerned that he had hung up anyways before he broke the silence by speaking in a low voice that almost gave me chills.

_"I'd curse you so much my mother would blush if I didn't recognize your voice. But voices can be faked."_

Knowing what he was getting at, I hurriedly moved to prove myself. "My favorite food is your mother's apple cobbler. And don't forget to call her, by the way," I said in a rush.

There was more silence on the other line.

Then I abruptly had to pull the phone away from my ear as laughter erupted from the other end so loudly it seemed to cause interference, making the line crackle. The voice gasped and I could picture the man wiping crocodile tears from his eyes as he spoke.

_"I can't believe you remembered that!"_

I puffed out my cheeks indignantly. "Of course I remembered! That was our thing, Jonny!"

_"Yeah, Kaylin. It _was._"_

I winced at the tone in his voice, his laughter being completely forgotten by both of us. His mood swung just as wildly as I remembered it doing. Jonny was a trusted contact of mine from Las Vegas - there were loads of mafia dealings in Vegas; you coudn't turn a corner without being stink-eyed by some Mafioso or another.

He had become a sort of uncle figure to me after my mom had died. I had even met his mother a few times when she came to visit his (gay) bar, where I often went to gather some information on a job. She knew he dealt with the mafia, and she figured out that I did, too. Otherwise her son wouldn't deal with me so much, even if he took a liking to me.

She cooed after me and spoiled me like a relatively young grandmother would her grandchild. Hence, how I came to fall in love with her apple cobbler.

_"Where the hell have you been? It's been two fucking years."_ I could practically hear him scowling, then I jumped as he shouted at someone, presumably an employee, _"Fucking do it yourself! I'm conducting business, here, holy shit!"_

...I suddenly recalled where I got my potty mouth.

...Then again, _he _got his potty mouth from his mother.

"Well..." I hesitated. I wasn't ready to talk about what actually happened, yet. And knowing him, he'd just fret himself to death and shout my ear off.

_"Kaylin?" _He impatiently prompted.

"I was sort of...out of commission in Italy for a while."

_"...You were what?"_

I winced at my weak excuse. It wasn't even a lie and it was still unconvincing.

"Look, I'm actually calling on business, Jonny - shit, hold up. Gotta put some damn..change in the stupid...fuck." I struggled to juggle the phone and my wallet, fumbling some change into the slot so the stupid automated voice would stop nagging me. Task completed, I continued dodging the question, "I need you to hunt down every bit of information you can find about someone for me."

_"...I think you're dead for two years, you call all of a sudden _on business -_ You expect me to be okay with that?!"_

"...Jonny... I really am not capable of talking about it right now. I appreciate your concern, but I swear to you that I'm fine, now. I really need you to just do this for me, okay?"

I prayed to the gods of the land that his understanding and leniency toward me would pervade into this circumstance.

_"...Oookay..." _I could tell by his voice that he was nowhere near satisfied. He sighed and conceded. _"Fine. But you're going to lay my concerns to rest as soon as you can, no arguments."_

I sighed, but I knew that went much better than it could have, so I grabbed the opportunity and ran with it. "Understood."

_"...So, you calling in a favor or am I gonna finally get money out of you?"_

I snorted at him. "I know you know better than that."

_"Right, so you're mooching, again."_

"Yes."

He sighed and I heard him rustling around some papers, probably getting ready to write shit down for me.

_"'Kay. Shoot."_

Down to business, I straightened. Old habits.

"Gokudera Hayato. He's a kid affiliated with the mafia, from Italy. Sicily, I think. Aliases are 'Hurricane Bomb Hayato' and 'Smokin' Bomb Hayato.'" I paused and listened to him scribble away, no doubt in his personal version of shorthand.

He stopped writing, all business himself. _"Okay... What kind of information are you looking for?"_

"Absolutely everything."

He snorted. _"You're lucky I'm a nice, forgiving guy, you know that?"_

I smiled softly to myself. I really was lucky.

_"Send it to you via the usual?"_

"Yeah. ASAP, please."

_"Yeah, yeah." _He scribbled at his paper again.

I looked behind me at the bustling residents of Namimori. I began to think about where an internet cafe could be in a town like Namimori...Business district? Was there such a thing as a restaurant district? Probably. I suppose I could just ask around... But I'd like to avoid questions... Well, I'm a foreigner, so maybe they'd just take any weird occurrences around me in stride. I hoped so.

_"Kaylin." _Jonny's deep bass snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned back toward the phone, like I could show him that he had my attention with the motion.

"Yeah?"

_"..." _He didn't say anything at first, and I tilted my head. Again, like he could see that.

"What's up, Jonny?" I asked. Although I felt a little apprehensive at his tone. I hoped he wouldn't go mama bear on me...again. Even if it _was_ warranted.

_"...Whatever happened," _I almost gulped. Yep. _Feelings._ _"Just...I'm glad you're okay, alright?"_

...I can't say that I didn't expect something like that from him, but... All the same, I felt my chest clench a little painfully.

Jonny cleared his throat awkwardly, apparently done with _feeling _for the moment.

_"Well, um. I'll have the information in your inbox promptly. Give me a couple of hours."_

I'm sure he could here the smile in my voice as I thanked him.

"Oh, Jonny?"

_"What?"_

"Seriously, though, don't forget to call your mom."

_"Goddammit, Kaylin, you -" _I cut him off by hanging up with a cackle. He absolutely hated it when I nagged him about his mother. And though it had been two years, he reacted just like I had expected him to.

I gave a contented sigh as I stepped away from the payphone, dodging a few disgruntled housewives.

I really had missed him.

Though I wouldn't dare tell him that.

* * *

><p>I took a long, <em>long <em>sip of my coffee as I stared at the computer screen.

_...No wonder the kid has a volatile temper._

Sunlight filtered through the glass walls of the internet cafe I'd found, completely eliminating the need for artificial lighting today. The setting was refreshing, there weren't many people there. The coffee was good. Internet was nice and anonymous.

And yet I sighed. I took another drink of my coffee, scrolling back up through the information Jonny had sent me with my free hand, looking back over the words and summarizing things in my mind. First I reviewed the things that weren't so hard to find.

Gokudera Hayato came from a very wealthy family - as in 'oh look it's a castle' wealthy. He lived with his father and older sister. When he was younger he was a piano prodigy. He played classic and regular contemporary things at first. And _then _he got popular on top of the natural respect given to geniuses. He started playing "avante garde" and "modern" stuff. That was the real hit.

That went on until he was about eight. Then he ran away from home. The rumors were that he had overheard staff talking about how he was an illegitimate child. He then apparently went from family to family, seeking a new place to be and was promptly rejected by each.

At some point he then went to each and every family that had denied him and killed their bosses and many other members via dynamite.

A kid.

I sighed and scrolled down further. Now I was looking at information that came by more sparsely, that was harder to find. This is what Jonny was good at. Now I was getting to the meat of Gokudera Hayato's story.

I learned that when he was quite young he was instructed in piano playing by a certain woman until he was three years old. On his third birthday, when the woman was driving to the boy's home, she had an accident - specifically her car went off a cliff. As could be guessed, she died.

Much speculation was to be had about the cause of the incident. Suicide seemed to be ruled out, as she had a present for Gokudera with her in the car. She had intended to bring him the gift, so it didn't make sense that she would chose to kill herself then. There was no turn on the road at the time, either, so it seems unlikely that the brakes stopped working and they she crashed in front of that. Of course, this may lead others to conclude to murder. There wasn't sufficient proof of such, however.

My mood steadily decreased when I first read the next bit of information, which concerned Gokudera's mother. Rereading it didn't seem to be any easier.

As mentioned earlier, he overheard staff gossiping about his mother, and how she wasn't the same as his elder sister's. More to the point, she was a a beautiful woman that caught his father's heart immediately.

She happened to be a pianist.

At that point during the first scan of the text I could infer as to what that was leading to.

As was mafia law, Gokudera's mother could visit him only three times a year and couldn't tell him who she was. So she took to teaching him piano.

I sighed as I imagined what had happened, though I knew I shouldn't.

The pretty woman that used to teach him piano but had suddenly stopped coming, he learned, was his mother. I could only morbidly guess what kind of thoughts had gone through his head. I didn't even want to try. I imagined the hurt, though. I imagined a feeling of betrayal, of being lied to. That was fair, after all. That was natural.

I looked back through the pictures of the kid, all of them of when he was younger, roughly ages four through eight. He was a cute kid. He looked happy, too. Of course he did. At the time he was an innocent little boy, happily playing the piano for an audience that gladly applauded him.

And then, by some cruel stroke of luck, his innocence was ripped from him. All from the gossiping of some stupid maids.

After one last obligatory scroll, committing everything to memory, I shut down the computer, making sure to completely get rid of the files out of habit. I sighed once more and stood, stretching and looking out the window with watery eyes from the effort. It was about noon by now, and I wondered if Tsuna's game had started. Reborn hadn't mentioned a time.

After that depressing session of being a responsible little Mafioso, I needed a little uplifting.

Well, I had gotten all of the information that I wanted and then some. Not like I could get much more accomplished playing hookie, unless I somehow ran into the guy. I wasn't _that _lucky, and Namimori's size wasn't anything to laugh at.

I threw an awkward smile at the employee of the cafe over my shoulder as he called for me to have a nice day. He was cheery. Asshat. Although, he didn't question why I wasn't in school or something, so that was cool of him.

Exiting the building I squinted up at the sun. It was bright as shit. Summer was approaching and it was getting hot. At least I was wearing a tank top at the moment.

Then I groaned as I remembered that no, you can't wear a tank top to school in Japan.

Shit.

Well, at least I had gotten around to buying the short-sleeved shirt of the uniform. It was too hot to even roll up my stupid sleeves in this stupid country - okay, I didn't mean that. Japan's pretty cool. Neat. Not cool. Japan was hot as fuck. Not even in the good way. Incidentally, I also bought the school blazer and vest. I shivered at the thought of winter clothes in this heat.

Whatever.

Done loitering and complaining to myself, I made off toward my apartment to get changed. I kept a jogging pace (why not get some exercise?) even as I finally made my way up the creaky stairs to my humble apartment, quickly unlocking the door as I reached it.

Making quick work of getting changed, I checked my phone for the time. Oh. It was just past eleven.

Jonny sure made quick work of that request.

_Holy shit I can make it in time for lunch!_

That joyous thought in mind I sprinted out the door, nearly forgetting my school bag.

I cursed (loudly) and hurried to grab the thing, then re-sprinted back out the door, locking it before pounding down the stairs.

I _had _to get there in time. I wanted me some melon bread.

* * *

><p>A young man strolled the grounds of Namimori Middle School. Or, as he liked to think of it, his territory.<p>

His eyes were sharp in the assessment of the order he personally enforced. So far today, not a twig out of place. The herbivores were crowding around the area, as it was lunch time, but they weren't crowding near _him._

He leisurely paced himself as he walked across the front area of the school grounds, near the gate, keeping a distance from the students eating lunch there, noting with disinterest the furtive glances many herbivores threw his direction.

His sharp ears then caught the sound of footsteps. _Thundering _footsteps. He paused ,, turning his head to gaze at the school gate. Not a second later, a blur of the school uniform plus red hair tore around the corner and through the gate and skid to a halt, doubling over to rest her hands on her trouser-clad knees, panting.

He narrowed his eyes at the creature before him. A student was late for school.

Before he could even shift his weight to begin fully facing the girl, she stiffened and her head snapped up to stare wide-eyed at him as he turned. He offhandedly recalled seeing this herbivore before. She didn't exactly cause trouble, but the fact that she refused to wear the correct uniform irritated him, though it wasn't technically against the rules, therefore she escaped being bitten to death by technicality.

This, however, was perhaps worthy of his wrath.

"You're late," he simply stated, eyeing her response. He was gauging whether or not she irritated him enough to be attacked.

She seemed to blink owlishly out of a daze as she straightened somewhat. Her stance was incredibly wary, and she didn't make a move to step closer. At least she wasn't an idiot, he thought.

She cleared her throat before speaking in a clear voice, if a bit tense.

"I, um. Yeah. I'm very, _very _sorry about that." She shuffled her feet nervously, never taking her eyes off of his.

"You think an apology excuses tardiness?" Though it didn't particularly sound like a question.

The redhead laughed anxiously, having completely forgotten about lunch. She glanced around him, to the door. He noticed, but didn't care.

"No, it really doesn't, huh? But, see, I'd really like to salvage the situation and avoid missing any more lessons, so if I could just be excused, now..." She begun to edge her way around him, a very nervous smile shakily clinging to her face.

He narrowed his eyes at her once more.

Not good enough.

In a single movement that most people couldn't hope to see, he whirled a tonfa out of its place at his back and swung it in a vicious arc at the offending girl's red head. With a resounding crack, the herbivore was struck down and crumpled to the ground.

Or she should have.

Just when he expected to connect with her skull, she dropped down and his weapon only wacked the braid trailing after her head. His eyes widened minutely despite himself. He'll admit that he didn't expect her to dodge that.

Not missing a beat, however, he brought his right leg up in a flash of a kick aimed once more at her head. Not quite surprising him this time, she managed to leap out of the way, landing a meter behind where she once crouched. She stared up at him with wide steel eyes.

He couldn't help as his eyebrows rose on his forehead.

He was about to speak when the school bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break.

The girl suddenly gasped quite loudly as her head swung to face the school building.

**"Fuck!" **She cried. She promptly tore off in the direction of school, apparently forgetting about what just happened.

The teenager's eye twitched in irritation, but his anger didn't manifest himself as it was snuffed out by the mild intrigue he felt toward the girl at the moment.

Perhaps that was a fluke..?

He replaced his tonfa in its home as students made their way back to the building, giving him a _very _wide berth, but he paid them no mind.

Their little exchange had surprised him if only for the fact that he hadn't expected a female of all people to manage to evade his attack. Twice. No one had done that in a long time.

Perhaps it _was _a fluke, after all.

Nevertheless, he'd have to keep an eye on her. He suppressed any excitement that might be building in his gut, not wanting to let his hopes get out of hand. For the meantime, he'd shrug it off.

He still wanted to bite her to death, though. Just not for breaking the rules, anymore.

* * *

><p>What the <em>hell <em>was that?!

I sprinted down the hallway with melon bread and two milks in hand, desperately trying to make it to the gymnasium as quickly as possible.

Apparently the game was directly after lunch. And I was already late.

Too bad I couldn't remember where the _fucking gymnasium was in relation to my current location._

I wanted to avoid running around like an ass for a few reasons, but the most prevalent of those reasons was self-preservation. I did _not _want to run into that guy again.

Holy _shit _he was intense.

I had skidded to a stop inside of the school gate, barely noticing the startled glances of my fellow classmates. I was heaving, my chest hurting just slightly, as I was beginning to get a little more fit with all the recent activity.

Then I had felt a horrible chill run up and down my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

_Alert._

I jerked my head upwards in alarm and was met with a cold gaze of deep, almost black grey.

An almost peculiarly calm bass voice reached me.

"You're late."

A feeling of threat was rolling off of him in controlled waves, like he was coiling, ready to strike at a moment's notice. In an instant. I suddenly remembered that this was the boy I saw on around the second day of school, when I was hanging out the window.

He was _dangerous._

I did my best to avoid confrontation with this guy, completely forgetting about the presence of other human beings.

But, _no, _this guy was itching for an excuse.

Almost faster than I could perceive, something metallic had come flying toward my head, the apparent threat an extension of this boy's arm. The thing, a tonfa, I classified it as belatedly, very nearly collided with the side of my head, but, solely on instinct, before my eyes could even widen, I ducked into a crouch. I felt the damn thing hit my braid it was so close to rupturing my _brain._

Without hesitation he swung his leg up, apparently determined to cause me cranial injury. His foot swept by so close to my face that I think I lost a few hairs of my fringe to the force of it. I jumped back and just stared at him with wide eyes, entirely unsure of how to handle this situation.

His eyebrows raised at me and he looked like he was about to speak when the bell rang.

_Saved by the fucking bell and HOLY SHIT MY MELON BREAD._

With a gasp that made my throat feel raw and a loud expletive I tore off in the direction of the building, more than eager to escape this startlingly threatening middle schooler that was probably only my own age.

I shivered once at the memory and continued to make my way through the school, seeming to recall that the gymnasium was somewhere to the east of the main building...

It took me a few more minutes, but I finally found the damn thing without incidence. Namely, without running into the freaking horror of Namimori Middle.

* * *

><p>Kaylin slowed to a trot, clutching her lunch to her chest, her hair surrounded by flyaways by that point. She sighed in relief as she rounded the corner to the front of the building.<p>

Only to stop and blink at the person she saw.

No, no, not the Horror of Namichuu. Someone even more surprising.

Sensing a stare, the young man swung his forest green glare to the left, locking eyes with the wide-eyed Kaylin, who opened and closed her mouth for a moment before uttering, "Y-you!" It was freakin' Gokudera Hayato! Lady Luck was blessing her today!

His eyes narrowed at her and she shifted in surprise, blinking owlishly at him again.

"Do I know you?" He barked irritably, not removing his harsh look.

"Er, no, but I get the feeling we're going to get acquainted..." She mumbled under her breath, but he seemed to hear her.

_"Hah?" _He exclaimed incredulously.

Kaylin jerked and fumbled a bit for words. "Uh - nothing! Never mind!" She belatedly noticed that he was already in his school uniform. Blending in, she thought in the back of her mind.

The irritable pubescent teen just "tch"d in a dismissive manner, turning back to the gymnasium.

Kaylin's eye twitched, a metallic glint there. Did he just make a point of ignoring her? Shrugging off her growing irritation, she frowned at him, hesitantly making her way around him and to the other side of the entryway and peeked through the doors.

She gave a little "tch" of her own as she muttered, "Game's already started." She then promptly plopped onto the ground, setting her food and milk down in front of her, leaning against the door frame, casting sidelong glances into the gym.

The silverette swiveled his head to the lower right and affixed her with a glare/stare combo. "What the hell are you doing?"

She froze, having been just about to take a bite of her delicious and well-deserved melon bread, mouth hanging open. She blinked at him again.

"Eating," she answered innocently.

Gokudera's cheek twitched. "Why _there?!_" Next to him?!

She had to stop herself from deadpanning a look at him.

"Because I can't bring food into the gym."

His fist clenched, but he huffed and turned back to the game, determined to ignore the stupid girl with the freakishly vivid red hair. Even though his eyebrow kept twitching in protest to his efforts.

Kaylin simply returned to her munching, watching the game. She tried her best to let slide the somewhat oppressive aura her impromptu lunch companion was putting off.

She then choked on her food when she spotted Tsuna just as he fumbled the ball. Well, "fumbled" isn't the right word. He missed it completely; it bounced onto the ground and back up to hit the poor kid in the face.

Kaylin winced and Gokudera snorted in contempt.

The redhead's own eye twitched as she silently noted the tone even his _snort _carried.

_'Ignore it...' _she implored herself.

Kaylin managed to finish her first piece of bread, and opened one of the little cartons of milk she bought, washing down her first treat. Apparently the first set was finished already, as the whistle was blown for a break. Kaylin grimaced as Tsuna's teammates seemed to round on him, rather fiercely glaring.

He sheepishly said something, and the group of boys seemed somewhat placated, thought Tsuna himself seemed to look... ashamed? Kaylin's brows furrowed in concern. She glanced up at Gokudera, who looked... quite pissy, actually. She decided not to say anything.

When she looked back toward the game, she nearly missed Tsuna as he exited through a side door to go outside.

Making a quick decision she snatched up her remaining piece of bread and milk carton after downing what she had in her hand in a single gulp. She sprung to her feet and, casting a glance to Gokudera, who had an unamused eyebrow raised at her, she took off sprinting (again) around the corner of the building.

She immediately saw him at the outdoor faucets, splashing his face with the cool water.

Impulsively, she called out. "Tsuna!"

The boy in question jerked and spun around in surprise, wide-eyed.

"Kaylin?!" He balked as the taller girl skidded to a stop in front of him, making a twenty meter sprint in record time.

Kaylin belatedly noticed Reborn was standing over to the side, watching her with eyebrows raised in mild surprise.

"You showed up," the infant simply stated.

She grinned somewhat triumphantly down at him. "I have a good network."

Tsuna furrowed his brows, not following the conversation a bit. Reborn only hummed and continued to watch as one legitimate student and his other unofficial one interacted.

Said unofficial student turned to look at Tsuna again, sharp metallurgic eyes searching his soft, somewhat dismayed tawny ones.

She spoke softly, "You wanna talk about it?" She jumped straight to her concerns.

Tsuna blinked and widened his eyes in surprise at her sudden question - she had read his emotions so easily. Then his shoulders slumped as he glanced away, a small frown marring his face. Kaylin tilted her head, waiting patiently for some kind of answer.

He finally looked back up at her, and she was surprised to see a kind of determination in his eyes. Very surprised, actually, though she tried not to let it show.

Tsuna shook his head, fuzzy hair bobbing a little with the motion. He just looked at her earnestly. Kaylin blinked and searched his eyes again. Then, apparently satisfied, a small, genuine smile graced her, making Tsuna blink once. Before his cheeks could manage to warm at the sight, though, Kaylin quickly wacked his shoulder with the back of her hand with the bread in it, hard enough to turn him around and she gave him a rough shove with her knuckles toward the direction of the door.

"Then get in there and kick some ass!"

He stumbled to a stop and turned his head back at her, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open in shock. The redhead grinned at him and made a shooing motion.

"Go, already. Do everything you can. That's all you need."

Tsuna straightened, gaze hardening. Her words resonating with him, he nodded once, then jogged back into the gymnasium.

_'Do everything I can,'_ he thought. _'She's right. I got cocky and accepted the offer, thinking I could just use the Dying Will bullet to do what they all work so hard for.' _He looked up at his teammates, shoulders now squared. _'I'll do everything I can... And then apologize to them all afterwards.' _

He gave himself a small, resolute nod as he took his place in the court and waited for the game to continue.

Back outside, Kaylin gave a small huff of satisfaction. She turned to look at Reborn, only to see him frowning up at her with a hard to read expression.

She blinked at him. "What?" She asked in innocence, frowning a little back at the baby.

She could have swore he gave a huff as he turned and marched toward the door.

The baby muttered discontentedly, "That's the second time you stole a good line."

The redhead had to bite her lip _hard_ to stop from laughing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that was a relatively long chapter, holy crap. 20 plus pages of that shit. Anyways, sorry it took me so long to update. I was having minor writer's block and wound up rewriting half of this chapter twice.**

**TWICE.**

**So this is the product.**

**Also, if you readers would be so kind, I'd like some feedback on the, albeit very small, amount of action in this chapter. I've been notoriously bad with action in the past, so I'd like to know how I'm doing as I write this story. That'd be super helpful. Any other feedback would be absolutely more than welcome and would be recieved with 100% gratefulness on my part. Seriously.**

**Anyhoo, thank you very much for reading. I'm already working on the next chapter and an omake or two, so look forward to that. The next chapter shouldn't take me so long to write because I've basically got the plot worked out... So there's that. Enter Gokudera Story Mode!**

**hahaaaa video game jokes.**

**Ciao ciao!**

**Kei: Get the fuck out of here already.**

**Mutt: What the crap are you even doing here?!**

**Tsuna: I tried to stop her!**

**Kei: *scoffs***

**Tsuna: *looks offended***

**Mutt: SERIOUSLY, WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE RIGHT NOW?!**

**Kei: To irritate you.**

**Mutt & Tsuna: ...**

**Mutt: Well it fucking worked.**

**Tsuna: Let's just end this post already, na? _Na?_**

**Mutt & Kei: *glaaare***

**"Mystery" guy: Stop loitering or I'll bite you all to death.**

**Mutt: WTF?!**

**Kei: NOT AGAIN!**

**Tsuna: Don't leave me here, Kaylin! _Kaylin!_**

**Someone?: Kufufu~**

**Tsuna: _What's even happening right now?!_**

**Mutt: ...This is what I get for staying up all night to finish this stupid chapter. Whatever, I'm leaving. Fucking hell.**

***IMPLOSION***


	6. A Preamble Before Inevitable Explosions

**Kei: Well look at that.**

**Tsuna: *peeks over shoulder at computer screen* Hm?**

**Kei: The story's got a moderately satisfactory amount of follows and favorites.**

***THUNDERING FOOTSTEPS***

**Tsuna: Eh?**

**Kei: Oh god.**

***DOOR SLAMS OPEN***

**Tsuna: **_**HIIIEE!**_

**Mutt: I'M SUCCESSFUL YOU SAY?!**

**Kei: Nobody said that.**

**Mutt: PEOPLE LIKE THE STORY, YOU SAY?!**

**Kei: STOP SHOUTING!**

**Tsuna: Let's just do the disclaimer! Na?!**

**Kei: If you do the brain poop thing again I'll melt your face off.**

**Mutt: *scoffs* **_**Ahem.**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own KHR, blah blah blah. I only made the OC, blah blah blah. Don't be a dick, it's just fanfiction.**

**Tsuna: *sweatdrop* I-is it okay do do the disclaimer like that...?**

**Mutt: *uberscoffs* I'm American, I don't give a shit about propriety.**

**Kei: We agree for once.**

**Mutt: Oh, hey! Almost forgot a shoutout! Thank you, Choco-Latte64 for your review! You are fantastically awesome for taking the time to give me feedback and I super freakin' appreciate it.**

**Kei: Oh, way to go. _Encourage_ her, why don't you.**

**Tsuna: Okay, on with the story! Moving on! Na?!**

* * *

><p><em>Gokudera Hayato watched his target make an ass of himself in some stupid volleyball game. While he had time to kill, he decided it would be better spent observing the brat, seeing for himself the object of his loathing before he confronted him.<em>

_But fucking hell he wasn't sure he could wait much longer._

_He was getting more easily agitated by the day. And it wasn't just recently, either. The past year had been the same old soul-crushing grind without much variation. He would struggle to survive, hopping from one lousy job to the next; he couldn't hold one down, and that made paying his own living expenses hell. He'd buy what he needed when he could, because stealing was a pain in the ass, but he stole from whatever person fit his perception of "useless, no-good-anyways bastard" when he needed to._

_And that just led to even more fights than he would normally get in just by dint of his own compounding temper and agitation. His own mood would darken if it could get much worse. By that point, where there used to be a rabid habit of violence, was now a numb, all encompassing resentment and hate for every human being he could think of - which led to much violence, anyways._

_Even though he was slowly going numb, everything still got more and more aggravating. That's probably why he even bothered to take up the greatest hitman's offer._

_Just the thought of his target incensed him. Some stupid, spoiled brat who had nothing to do with the mafia for all of his life suddenly got to be heir to the largest, strongest, most influential mafia famiglia in the world._

_And it pissed him the fuck off._

_Why should some fucking kid who doesn't know anything get to rise to that kind of position? Be accepted into a family like the Vongola without even trying? When he himself was constantly shunned, rejected, ostracized from every family he tried to find?_

_The puny, powerless families that had all been turned to char and ash and blood by the hand of the "worthless," "weak" "little boy" that they mocked and turned away._

_There was no fucking way in hell that this brat from this stupid town in this stupid country could be worthy of something so great. Gokudera would treat him to the same death that all the others faced. He'd be left in so many cooked pieces that no one will have a chance of identifying the remains._

_But for now, he waited._

* * *

><p>Would you believe our class won the fucking game?<p>

Because you should.

Because Tsuna _totally kicked __**ass!**_

I mean, of _course _I noticed Reborn shoot the kid with the special bullet that augmented Tsuna's legs to be super strong, or some shit, but I knew that the baby wouldn't do that if Tsuna didn't earn that himself.

And dammit all I felt like such a proud mother hen!

Son of a bitch, Sawada Tsuna was moving up in life!

I was bouncing on my toes when I told him as much after school, grinning like an idiot while we walked in the direction of Tsuna's house, which was closer to school than my apartment. I was sure I was weirding him out at least a little, though he seemed to be getting used to my periodic explosions in exuberance. But to my pleasure, Tsuna _did _look a little happy.

At Tsuna's questioning, Reborn explained what he had done to help him.

"It was called the Jump Bullet," he said to his student from his perch on the boy's shoulder. While it seemed he preferred my shoulder to Tsuna's - because I was taller, I imagine - I had apparently been bouncing too much for the infant's liking.

But I couldn't help it, dammit! I was (perhaps unreasonably) happy for Tsuna. By that point after knowing him for nearly two weeks I had caught on to how hopeless the boy seemed to be, by both him and his peers. With Reborn's assistance, though, that seemed to be changing, somewhat.

After Tsuna's match with Mochida a great deal of the student populace seemed to treat him differently. While I couldn't say that they respected him as much as they should just by his virtue of being human, he didn't seem to be the subject of nearly as much teasing as he had been previously. I've even seen him receiving friendly greetings in the hall.

Though I already knew about the Vongola family's special bullet and how it had various different effects, I listened in interest to Reborn's explanation as we continued to walk, in case I had the opportunity to learn more about the family of which I was now a part. I tilted my head at the infant, waiting for him to continue.

"'Dying Will Bullet' is the name of an effect of the Vongola family's special bullet. Depending on where you shoot, the name of the effect changes." This much I knew. "For example, shooting the quadriceps results in the Jump Bullet."

Tsuna turned to me as I added, "There are other effects, too, though I don't know the scope of the effects or how many there are."

Reborn nodded. "There are as many effects as there are body parts."

"You had such an amazing thing up your sleeve?! You only told me about the Dying Will Bullet!" The adolescent exclaimed.

"It seemed like you would come to depend on the bullet, so I didn't mention it." Tsuna blinked at Reborn before the infant continued. "But you didn't depend on the bullet today, Tsuna."

At Reborn's words, Tsuna seemed touched, his eyes almost doey when he looked at his mentor. I imagined him to be thinking something similar to what I was: despite Reborn's outlandish methods, it seems the hitman was actually looking out for him. I smiled at the two.

But that smile quickly turned into something more like a grimace when Reborn next spoke.

"That's not the real reason I shot you, though." I nearly got chills as I noted the baby's smirk. "If I don't keep shooting, I'll get rusty. Now I can shoot as much as I want." Tsuna jerked and balked as Reborn hopped from his shoulder to the wall beside us, the two of us teenagers having stopped walking in astonishment.

I deadpanned as I inwardly wondered why I was even surprised at this point.

Tsuna was in disbelief as he muttered in my direction, "He looks _way_ too happy!"

I blinked at Tsuna, then at the Reborn.

...

I whispered, perhaps not as discreetly as I should have, "...You can tell?"

Tsuna laughed a little tiredly, probably thinking that he wished he didn't have to hang around the baby so much that he _could_ make out whatever subtle differences made up the baby's facial expressions. I grinned a bit in sympathy.

And then my guts decided that _that _would be a good time to yell at me.

* * *

><p>Kaylin's stomach growled so suddenly and loudly that Tsuna nearly jumped. He blinked in near disbelief as the girl flushed, glancing down at her own stomach.<p>

"...Oh." She mumbled, tenderly placing a hand to her abdomen. She saw Tsuna's eyebrow raise in question, so she explained with some reluctance, "I, um... I've only had bread and some milk today...and coffee."

"Eh? That's all you've had?"

Kaylin shuffled her feet and puffed out her cheeks, looking like a child caught in an act of mischief or misbehavior. "I was busy today! And I didn't want to miss your game if I could help it, so I only got a little bit at the school store..." She trailed off in a mumble.

Tsuna slumped as he watched her speak, her eyes always shifting to the sides, never looking at him. _'And she's supposed to be a top class hitman?'_ "You should take care of yourself more, you know," he said aloud to her.

Reborn said in some kind of chastising/amused voice, "You're making your boss worry, Kaylin."

Kaylin nearly started flailing and Tsuna rounded on Reborn.

"I keep telling you, I don't need any subordinates!"

Kaylin faltered and pursed her lips at the younger boy. Feeling somewhat apprehensive, she glanced between him and Reborn, the latter of which took notice of her mild distress. While it wasn't truthfully known whether or not Reborn could really read minds, he did know what she was thinking then: Kaylin was concerned about Tsuna's lack of acceptance.

Reborn calmly shook his head at her and the girl sighed and looked back at Tsuna, who was staring up at the sky in exasperated defeat and hadn't noticed the small exchange.

He'd have to accept it someday, she thought. The sooner the better. People know he's the heir by now - many of those people not being allies of the Vongola. Sooner or later he'll be put in danger and he'll need to be ready.

On the other hand, though... that train of thoughts made her stomach clench and threatened to bring a frown to her face. He didn't ask for this, she knew. He didn't even want this. She scoffed to herself, _he's a _child _for fuck's sake!_ He's only recently learned about his ties to the mafia, of course he's not prepared. He's not even prepared _to be _prepared.

Hell, all this kid wants to do is get passing grades in school. That's all he should even have to worry about; trying to make friends, trying not to suck _too _badly in PE classes, working up the courage to so much as talk to his crush - the freaking mafia shouldn't even be _on_ his radar. But here Reborn was, already working to make Tsuna a suitable boss to the largest damn famiglia on the planet.

The boy's childhood was in jeopardy and he didn't even realize it himself.

Her thoughts then threatened to trespass into the area of her own childhood, short-lived as it was, but -

"Kaylin?"

She jerked and snapped her head up to look at her boss, not having realized she had zoned out and was staring at the asphalt.

"**What? **Er, what?"

His brow was a little furrowed as he repeated what he and Reborn had briefly discussed, "Reborn suggested that you come over to my house to study and have some snacks..." He looked somewhat alarmed when Kaylin furrowed her own brows at his statement, not quite forming a little wrinkle on her forehead. "Er - you don't have to! I didn't think you would want to, but Reborn insisted, s-so - I mean, it's fine if you don't..." He trailed off, waving his hands almost spastically - Reborn had just made him invite a girl over to his house, for crying out loud! It was just Kaylin, but _still!_

His near-frantic train of thought tripped over itself to a halt as Kaylin interrupted it.

"Snacks?" She leaned forward and blinked intensely at him as he leaned back in alarm, as the metallic glint in her eyes was present. "What kind of snacks?"

Tsuna blinked and stumbled for words, "U-um, I don't really know; we might, um, have to look around a little, but mom should be back from her trip to the store soon, so I-I'm sure there'll be something you might... like...?" He wound up trailing off into a question as he took in Kaylin's apparently heightening excitement, the metallic glint in her eyes gone and replaced by a very Nana-like sparkle as she seemed to be fighting an all-out grin. She was actually considering - ?

"That sounds _great!_" Tsuna sweatdropped at her.

Oh. Okay.

* * *

><p>Reborn had to settle for Tsuna's shoulder again since Kaylin's bounciness only increased at that point. However, after about two minutes flat of <em>that <em>behavior, she broke a sweat and, though she didn't complain about this particular detail, her chest had started to hurt a little.

Whereas her braid had been bouncing along with her, it now lay rather flaccid against her neck, which did nothing to relieve her of her plight of possible (probably not) heat stroke. She groaned like she was dying as she pulled off her school shirt to avoid sweat stains (shut up) and straightened out her blue tank top.

"Why is Japan so _hot?!_" She nearly wailed.

Tsuna leaned away from her overly-loud voice but chuckled a little (with a sweatdrop) in good nature, looking sympathetic.

"Are you okay?" He asked somewhat hesitantly.

"I'm gonna _die_," she proclaimed to the sky.

He snorted and gave a small laugh, "You won't die! You can have something cool to drink when we get inside, so, er, hang in there until then, okay?"

She only groaned again in response and the two continued to trudge (Tsuna was just walking, Reborn remaining quietly observing - or perhaps thinking? - on his shoulder) their way to Tsuna's house, nearly there already. About five more minutes of walking or so should have them there.

Tsuna sighed silently, but cast his friend a sidelong glance. He blinked at the word he'd used in his head without meaning to - 'friend.' He shifted his gaze forward with a little contemplative frown.

He'd only known Kaylin for - what, two weeks? - did he already consider her a friend? Thinking a little, he supposed he did. After all, friend's visit each other's houses - they study together, eat together, chat...

Actually, he and the redhead beside him hadn't really done much of that. This would be the first time they studied together. She's eaten at his house before, yeah, but that was at his mother's insistance - Kaylin (or Tsuna, for that matter) didn't get much of a choice. Remembering, though, she had laughed like mad afterward, so she seemed happy, at least...

And chatting? Not all that much, come to think of it. There was the the day she ate at his house, the two pep talks (they were simple, but surprisingly effective), a handful of other times around school. They actually just seemed more like acquaintances considering the above points, but...

He tilted his head in thought. But... he doesn't actually feel all that uncomfortable or nervous around her. Of course, sometimes she scared the absolute shit out of him, what with her metallurgic eyes and him being a complete wimp. But outside of that, compared to other kids his age, she was almost easy to talk to. Her being a girl was only a minor distraction, too - she behaved rather boyishly (when she wasn't nearly bouncing out of her skin with excitement).

Which got him to thinking, was she _really _mafia? She really didn't seem like she was lying when she talked about it before, and as insane as he was he didn't think Reborn would lie about her, either. In fact, he was the one that realized who she was - after shooting at her, he remembered with a deadpan/sweatdrop combo. Though she was obviously nervous as hell and startled almost out of her mind, she didn't run screaming, either. No matter how he thought about it, that didn't seem like how a _normal _middle-schooler would react to something like that.

_'lf she's really here to join the mafia family Reborn seems to think I should have, she's going to wind up disappointed...'_

So she was a (the more he thought about it, the more he seemed to conclude that she was pretty, though not the same way as Kyoko-chan) pretty girl that he didn't actually know that well who _happened _to also be (apparently heavily) affiliated with the mafia. But - again, though she seriously scared the shit out of him sometimes - he didn't feel threatened by her. In fact, she's stood up for him on a couple of occasions.

Maybe that was why? She must know by now that he was _seriously _no good, yet not once had she legitimately made fun of him. Teased, sure, but teasing and harrassing are definitely different things. And she seems genuine - though nervous and awkward sometimes, genuine. And while her temper flaired often and she was rather impatient, she had shown real kindness and, hell, compassion before.

Normally, he realized, he wouldn't think about _anyone _this hard except for Kyoko-chan, but the thought that he might have actually made his first friend since early elementary school was exciting and scary enough to make him think this much. It was like he was trying to convince himself that she was bad, but he couldn't. He simply didn't seem to believe that she was anything but good.

"Um, Tsuna."

He stopped quickly and spun on his heel, being jerked out of his thoughts and musings.

"Huh?"

She tilted her head at him with a curious frown, and he noticed that Reborn was no longer on his shoulder but had hopped over to Kaylin's at some point.

"Stop spacing out, Baka-Tsuna, we're home," Reborn griped.

Tsuna blinked and looked to the left. Oh. They had indeed reached there destination.

How hard had he been thinking?!

"Maybe the heat's getting to you, too?" She wondered jokingly, fighting a smirk.

"N-no! I was just - " he stopped and sighed dramatically in defeat. Fantastic. "Never mind. Let's just go inside." And he proceeded to skulk off to the front door, Kaylin pattering after him, wondering what the crap just happened, though Reborn had to resist rolling his eyes at his stupid - ahem, student.

* * *

><p>Reborn remained relatively silent while they were studying, playing with Leon now that Kaylin had cooled off. He interjected a few times to point out how stupid Tsuna was - the subject was math, after all, though the subject matter didn't <em>matter, <em>so to speak. Tsuna would struggle with it, anyways.

Incidentally, Kaylin took subpar notes - much of them were in English - but Tsuna responded rather well to the way she explained things, hence Reborn's option of passivity. It was a good bonding experience between boss and subordinate, as well.

"Nn, here -" Kaylin mumbled from behind her mouthful of crackers, though she at least put a hand over her lips while she leaned over the table to point, now ponytailed crimson hair swinging over her shoulder, " - yeah. And just divide both sides - there!"

"I got it!" Tsuna all but cheered, beaming down at his work.

"See?" Kaylin grinned, satisfied and _just_ a little smug as she swallowed her food. "It's not _that_ hard."

"I even understand how I solved it!"

Kaylin leaned back on the heels of her hands, watching Tsuna as he seemed to be lost in his own world of happiness for a moment. Nana, who had gotten home just shortly after Kaylin and her son did, popped her head around the doorframe, instantly brightening the room a few watts. She had been surprised, but very _clearly_ ecstatic to see Kaylin visiting again and even lightly chastised her about not stopping by sooner when she first spotted the girl.

"Ara, Kei-chan! It's so nice to see you again! Why haven't you been coming over more often? I told you you're more than welcome here! Ooh, are you studying? How helpful! I'm so glad to see Tsuna made such a helpful friend!" she had more or less cheered at the time.

And Nana continued gushing for a few minutes before Tsuna shooed her away so they could keep studying, a little embarrassed about his mother making his (he decided that he did consider Kaylin as such) friend so flustered. Kaylin only smiled nervously, a slight shy flush on her cheeks and assured Tsuna that it was okay.

Now, Nana was peeking curiously into the living room and inquired, "How's the studying coming?"

Reborn spoke up before Tsuna could answer, "Studying seems to be rather effective today."

Nana beamed, "Ara, is that so, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna turned to answer his mother with a small smile, "Ah, nn. Kaylin's really good at explaining math." He didn't mention how her notes made his head swim, though.

"Maa, how reliable, Kei-chan!" Nana's smile brightened even more as she clapped her hands together.

Kaylin jerked in surprise at the compliment, blushing so fast that a steam puff nearly poofed into life around her head. She tried to say something in return, maybe a 'thank you,' but she only managed some bumbling sounds. Tsuna sweatdropped at her, laughing quietly at her apparent inability to process compliments - it might have been cute if it weren't so funny.

"I'm making snacks for you now, so keep up the good work, you two~!" And with that she skipped back into the kitchen, humming a tuneless melody.

"You're actually very shy, aren't you, Kaylin?" Reborn teased, clearly amused.

The girl blinked out of her daze and rounded on the baby with a now indignant flush. "Leave me alone!" At that Tsuna genuinely laughed as Kaylin crossed her arms and pouted with a huff, giving the wall a half-hearted glare. She mumbled, "It's not my fault! I'm a Mafioso, not a socialite!"

Hina looked up from the cracker she had been munching on (they managed to convince Nana that she was a hamster) with an amused set to her ears and made a sound something like a snicker. Kaylin looked aghast at her companion and cried, "Traitor!"

_"Oh, Kaylin - don't be mad. It's endearing, really."_

Kaylin huffed once more, but didn't deign Hina with a response, instead shuffling superficially through her school papers. She was still struggling with a pout when she insisted, "Whatever. Let's just keep studying until Maman gets done with the snacks."

Tsuna furrowed his brow at her, though. "'Maman?'"

Kaylin blinked until she realized what she had said. "Oh!" She gave a laugh. "Reborn called her that, and I guess I started calling her that in my head, so it just kind, you know, slipped..." She pulled on her ponytail in a nervous gesture.

Tsuna sweatdropped. His tutors weird habits were rubbing off on other people...

* * *

><p>We finished up with the math, Tsuna doing relatively satisfactory with his work, according to Reborn, so we moved on to another subject for a while. We would have picked Japanese History if both Tsuna and I weren't horrid with it and if we weren't both terrified of Reborn's tutoring methods, but we settled for English, which I was surprisingly bad at explaining; when something's second nature to you, you don't think about it, you just do it! It's like trying to explain to a person how to breath - you just do it, dammit.<p>

When Nana had finished with the snacks we were ready to take a little break, during which Nana wound up insisting that I stay for supper again, even going so far as to make me decide on a dish, telling me to pick one of my favorites - I picked mashed potatoes because duh. That woman made remarkable mashed potatoes.

I tried to focus during supper, but I kept zoning out - nerves about tomorrow were beginning to accumulate, resulting in me constantly tapping my foot, though I managed to muffle it by tapping on my _other _sock-clad foot.

Why the hell had I been so absent-minded today? I forgot to even Assess this freakin' Gokudera kid. I'd have to settle with doing that tomorrow at school. It's not like the kid would be stupid enough to actually do something _in _school...

Right?

...

Surely he wouldn't.

* * *

><p>Reborn sat on Kaylin's shoulder as the girl made her way to her apartment for the evening. It was clear to him that she had been lost in thought throughout supper, and he surmised that it had to do with tomorrow. Reborn, of course, had plans that he intended for tomorrow to adhere to, and while he had recently done extensive research on her, he didn't know just what Kaylin's actions would be. It didn't seem that she would do anything rash or hasty, but just to be safe...<p>

"I'd like you to not interfere with tomorrow's proceedings," he stated. He got the feeling that this girl was remarkably stubborn, so he felt that the best approach to this would simply be to level with her. If she understood the situation she'd be much more compliant with his requests.

Kaylin glanced at the baby on her shoulder out of the corner of her eye, brows furrowing at him. She looked away, chewing on the inside of her cheek without saying anything.

Reborn continued, "In fact, I'd prefer it if you didn't go to school tomorrow alltogether."

Kaylin promptly stopped walking and jerked her head to face Reborn, who promptly hopped off of her shoulder and onto a wall lining the street. They were now roughly eye-level. Kaylin squinted a little against the orange glow of the setting sun, trying not to make it seem like she was glaring at the hitman.

From the abruptly worried set to the girl's brow and her stiff shoulders, Reborn could see that he was right in his thoughts that Kaylin was worried about Tsuna.

"But I only need to stay out of the fight, right?"

"That's true. But I don't want Tsuna relying on you for support throughout the day, which is inevitably what he'll do if you're there. And do you really think you could bring yourself not to give him that support when he asks for it?"

Kaylin's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, prepared to say something when she realized that he was right. Her teeth clacked shut as she just looked at Reborn - hard - searching for some kind of read on his thoughts, though she sensed that he wasn't hiding anything. Kaylin looked away and wrung her hands, biting her cheek again.

"Also, I'd rather you and Gokudera not end up fighting. It would only complicate things."

"I wouldn't - !"

"If _he_ picks a fight, would you not defend yourself?" He interrupted. Once again Kaylin's jaw snapped shut. "I assume you've done a fair amount of research on Gokudera."

Kaylin grimaced as she recalled what she learned, seeing the baby's point.

"I more or less read his life story. He does seem...the confrontational type."

Reborn nodded his head, "He definitely is."

Kaylin's brow furrowed further. "But that's why I'm worried."

The small hitman resisted the eye roll that he felt coming on. "I told you this morning: you don't need to worry about Tsuna. He's definitely useless as he is now, no doubt -" Kaylin winced a bit at that "- but he's Vongola. It's in his blood."

At those words Kaylin raised an eyebrow at the baby, suddenly fighting a smirk. Reborn frowned at her and quickly threw in, "Don't tell him I said that. I'd hate for him to think I'm a nice guy."

Kaylin bit her lip, but nodded, definitely no wanting to incite the hitman's anger. So she sighed and stared up at the sky for a moment, running a hand through her loose fringe.

She finally relented, though she remained frowning. "Yeah, okay. I understand. I'll just...study or something." She lifted her hands then let them drop in a gesture of resignation.

After they came to somewhat of an understanding the two Mafioso parted ways. Reborn made his way to an area of a nearby wall that the infant had converted into a part of his extensive network of tunnels and hideouts throughout Namimori.

If he was being honest, he didn't actually think that Kaylin would follow through with staying away from her boss like he asked, even though she outwardly agreed. He didn't think she was lying, no - he did think, however, that she would drive herself crazy with worry and would end up coming to school anyways.

That said... He'll have to find a way to keep her away for as long as needed.

His thoughts remained on his student's subordinate as he watched the last of the sunset light disappeared behind the closing of his hideout door, the whir of an airlock buzzing in his ears.

He had briefly spoken with the Ninth about Kaylin Steele, formerly known as "Demon." One wouldn't guess she had such a reputation upon meeting her. The Ninth, of course, trusted Reborn not to let any danger come to Tsuna through Kaylin. The small hitman would have kept an eye on the girl even if the Ninth hasn't asked him to, though.

While Reborn would admit that Kaylin didn't cause any of his instincts to flare, that in itself caused him to be on alert.

Considering Kaylin`s history and track record as mafia, the girl was too...normal. Too overtly well-adjusted. The girl _lived_ in the underground world of the mafia. _Something_ had to be wrong with her. But nothing was glaringly obvious. This only made him wonder at her mental state.

It could be plausible that she's compartmentalized her past experiences, including her time spent kidnapped by Vita Ricerca. Perhaps she simply takes on a different mindset when she deems it necessary, to further protect her mental and emotional health.

Something he had come across in his research seemed to reinforce his theory: something was rather cleanly erased from her history. Not completely, no - but the job was remarkably well-done.

Some time when she was around seven or eight years old, her mother stopped showing up in any form of records. A chunk of her life seemed to have disappeared at that time. Shortly after data resumed recording Kaylin began taking on jobs and missions by herself. Even at that age she did exceptionally well; though of course there was a rough start as she learned the ropes, she showed adaptability and combat prowess quickly.

Reborn had brought this lapse of information up with the Ninth, who agreed that it was peculiar. Because that kind of expungement of information about Kaylin only happened once, he wasn't immediately worried. This view was compounded by Kaylin's penchant for choosing jobs that were at the very least not _too _morally corupt. However he ordered Reborn to observe her and to never leave her alone with Tsuna until her loyalty was apparent and proven.

Reborn knew people. And so far, she seemed loyal. Oddly loyal, even - though she said that she wanted a fresh start which could prompt her good behavior. Tsuna and his inherent intuition seemed to trust her, as well. Though Reborn knew Tsuna had far to go, he also knew better than to scoff at the intuition of the Vongola. It was something to be trusted.

But since Tsuna didn't know to be cautious, yet, Reborn would have to be.

Not that Reborn's conclusion of Kaylin was of any immediate consequence. No matter what he felt about the girl he would continue to watch her, as per the Ninth's orders. Speaking of which, he was due to report to the Ninth about both Kaylin and Gokudera tomorrow night, after Gokudera inevitably joined Tsuna's family.

Tonight, however, may potentially be a late one - he had planning to do and people (Kaylin) to sabatoge if he wanted to ensure tomorrow goes as planned.

The infant sighed.

He knew better, of course, but it felt like his new student and his friends were more trouble than they were worth.

Brats.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Okay, so this one might be a little boring. It's full of character exposition and junk, but I feel like it was needed, setting up the story and whatnot. I generally don't intend for many of my chapters to be so... filler-ish, you know?**

**BUT. The problem with this (and half of last) chapter is that I felt it was dragging on and I was fighting writer's block, so... Setting up characters and character relationships is HARD. God forbid I actually have to get CREATIVE.**

**That said, though, I'm hoping/thinking that writing will get a little easier when I have more characters to work with.**

**Thing is, I've got some plot running around in my head and not just mindless writing. THE PROBLEM is getting to that point (namely the Kokuyo arc and junk).**

**Okay, so. To wrap this up, any tips would be supertastically appreciated! I'd absolutely love to hear from readers and get feedback to help with my writing. That way I can give you all a better story and be encouraged to keep writing and stuff!**

**Creativity! Whoo!**


	7. The Inevitable Explosions

**Reborn: Ciaossu. I'm here for the disclaimer today.**

**Tsuna: Wait, what? Where's Kaylin?**

**Reborn: Kaylin is currently indisposed and can't make it, so I've taken her place for now.**

**Mutt: Welcome! It's great to finally have you here!**

**Reborn: *politely inclines head***

**Tsuna: Wait, wait, Reborn, why do I get the feeling that you have something to do with Kaylin not being here?**

**Reborn: I don't know what you're talking about.**

**Tsuna: Why don't I think I should believe you?!**

**Mutt: Maa, maa, Tsuna, Kei's fine.**

**Tsuna: How do you know? And why are you using Japanese mannerisms?!**

**Mutt: I'm the author, I know these things. And I'm dangerously close to touching upon weaboo territory, so maybe I should stop that.**

**Tsuna: What's a... whatever you just said?**

**Mutt: *claps hands* **_**Okay,**_** let's not completely tear down the fourth wall today and move on to the disclaimer! Reborn, since you're here, would you do the honors?**

**Reborn: Sure. -**

**- Disclaimer: The author does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! and makes no money from this fanfiction; this story is just for fun. She does, however, claim rights to Kaylin's existence.**

**Mutt: Don't let her know that you said that, though. She'll get mad at me.**

**Tsuna: I've got a bad feeling for some reason...**

* * *

><p>I waited. And I waited.<p>

And _waited._

And just to mix things up a little in the monotony of the morning, I wait _just a little more._

I tried to sleep in, I _really did,_ but as soon as I woke up at around 10:00 - _as soon _as my thinking reached a level resembling coherency - whatever part of my brain that handled anxiety thought that it was necessary to kick me in the stomach with thoughts of Tsuna ending up in lots of smoky, charred bits via dynamite.

So by 1:00 in the afternoon I had _somehow _found myself wiggling into the school slacks and buttoning my shirt up over my (incidentally, dark blue, today) customary tank top and slipping into my tennis shoes. I had already stuffed Hina into my school bag and slung said bag over my shoulder, ignoring her muffled protests.

No, silly, I wasn't preparing to go to school. That'd go against what Reborn asked of me. No, I was dressing this way just in case.

Just in case, you know...

Something...happens.

...You know?

Ahem.

I continued to convince myself that I was totally not going to school even if I happened to begin walking in that direction upon leaving my apartment out of habit as I turned the door handle, which detached from the door upon me pulling it. Of course, if I did happen to wind up at school somehow -

...

Wait, what?

I looked down to my outstretched hand, which was oddly far away from the door considering I was holding onto the doorknob. For a good ten seconds I didn't comprehend what just happened.

...Wait, _what?!_

I knew my apartment was obscenely shitty, but the doorknob was firmly attached the damn door just last night! If it were rickety, I'd have noticed! And yet here I was, door handle in hand, with a closed door still in front of me.

My intuition started to scratch at the back of my mind, but I was a little too frazzled to think of anything much more than "what the _fuck._"

Coming to my senses (mostly) I bemusedly poked at what was left of the handle, which was its...dock, I supposed. My mind wondered through what could have possibly happened until a more pressing matter leapt to the forefront of my mind:

How was I supposed to get out of my house?

...

...

Well, fuck.

I through my head back and let out a long-suffering groan at the ceiling. I then let muscle memory guide my movements as I swiftly pivoted on one foot and spun to deliver a kick to the door, just by the handle (rather, where it should be). I only remembered that the door opened inward when the entire thing was wrenched from its place and fell against the outside railing. I stared at the door wide-eyed with my foot lingering in the air.

...

...

An impressive amount of English, Italian, and Japanese obscenities (somehow mixing grammars) later, I stomped over to the door and lifted it with fair ease to lean it against the wall beside my door. At least it wasn't cold outside or something.

I leaned forward and scrutinized the other side of the doorknob. I cautiously reached up to grab the handle and gave it a gentle turn. That one promptly detached, too. Looking more closely I noticed a few screws missing from the dock.

...That doesn't generally happen by natural causes.

By this point my intuition was solidly poking my brain, but it wouldn't take any kind of intuitive leap to come to a logical conclusion:

...Someone messed with my door?

...What the _fuck?_

My mouth and brow were set in a definite frown. My mind was sorting through possible suspects, though in retrospect it was pretty obvious,

Who the fuck would have messed with my door? _Why_ the fuck would someone mess with my door?!

I pulled out my cell and dialled the landlord, getting the answering machine. I left a very surly-toned message (not like the damn door breaking was _my _fault, and I wouldn't let him accuse me of it or something) telling him to _please _fix the door, then snapped the phone shut, still scowling.

I stomped down the stairs, grumbling the entire time. Without any thought at all I instinctively went on alert, though I rationally thought that a prank like that was a little too benign to warrant much caution at all - and it was.

I rounded the corner to the street I knew was the most direct route to school that I could take from my apartment. I only took two steps in that direction when what I saw made me blink several times before I processed the absurdity.

There was a _concrete fucking wall _in the middle of the street. Yellow paint designed to advise caution decorated the top and bottom of the wall and a sign was set up in front of it.

It read "detour."

...

Uh. Okay.

I honestly didn't immediately think much of it at first, though my intuition was tickling again. I turned back onto the street I had been walking on previously and made my way to the next perpendicular street.

Upon turning the corner I met with another wall and another "detour" sign.

...

My eyes narrowed in a deadpan stare of disbelief, scowl firmly in place once more. I continued on down the road that I needed to get _off _of, glaring at the wall like it might move if I watched close enough until it was out of sight. I turned onto the next road.

...

Detour.

I felt a twitch in my cheek.

**"What the **_**fuck?!" **_What the hell was going on that morning?!

Deciding that I was _not_ going to take another damn detour, I stomped over to the nearest wall that surrounded every residential area and clamored up to the top. Looking past the wall that _shouldn't _be there, I saw...

...Nothing out of the ordinary.

More specifically, no construction work, anything in need of repair...nothing.

...

What.

I couldn't even say anything snarky.

Why the fuck were there concrete _walls _erected in the street when there was _literally nothing going on there?!_

I felt another twitch in my cheek, this one more apparent.

I looked up to the sky and prayed to the gods of the land that I be granted more patience and wisdom than I possess.

My mind and intuition went to a certain infant, but I shooed away the thoughts because that would be absolutely ridiculous, even for him.

Absolutely fucking ridiculous.

Definitely.

I walked forward on the wall that _was supposed to be there _until the wall that _wasn't supposed to be there _was behind me and hopped down, landing easily on the balls of my feet.

And was promptly shot.

...

By a stream of water.

I gasped in surprise and jumped away from where the offending liquid projectile came from. Though I looked around like mad, I couldn't find a source.

I looked down at my shirt.

Good thing I wear tank tops underneath my school shirts by default...

My mind once again went straight to that baby, but _no way _would he do this and _no fucking way _was I in denial because I didn't want to believe that such a person was mentoring my boss. No way.

Balling my fists _not _out of anger towards said infant but at the soaking state of my hair and clothes I marched forward. I would _not _be beaten by these stupid -

_Splash_

...

...

_Twitch_.

* * *

><p>I had ran, jumped, ducked, rolled, and kicked my way away from a stamped of various species of zoo animals, over more walls, under conveniently located movers carrying a couch, out of the way of a speeding cyclist, and through a mob of dress suit and sunglasses-clad businessmen (read: Mafioso. What the fuck are they doing here?) by the time I heard the first explosion (all of that shit took around two hours; that stampede was absolutely insane).<p>

_**BOOM.**_

I skidded to a halt, chest heaving and hurting just a tad.

By that point I was relatively near the school, and the sound was surprisingly startling. Whereas you can feel the sound of large fireworks on, say, the New Year, the explosion of what was without a doubt dynamite was _messier_ sounding and shook the ground as well as the air.

_**BOOM-BOOM.**_

I was shocked out of my musings by the second and third explosions.

That...was definitely coming from the direction of the school.

Without thinking of the consequences of an all-out sprint I tore down the street full tilt.

_That fucking insane piece of absolute shit what the fuckishethinking?!_

Several more explosions rang and resounded throughout the vicinity from the school and prompted me to keep the pace that was probably not good for my health. In my escapades around Namimori I wound up at a side of the school without the gate, so in my hurry I decided to jump the wall, which was perhaps two meters high give or take.

Using the momentum from the sprint I leapt as high as I could, planting my right foot against the wall and kicking off for a boost. I grabbed the ledge and continued the motion by pulling myself up. I had enough of a boost that I flopped onto the edge, hooking my arms around the corner under my armpits. I was about to scramble up and over until I heard yelling directly to my left.

My jaw dropped along with my stomach at the sight of _literally dozens _of lit explosives littering the ground around the feet Gokudera Hayoto and boxer-clad Tsuna who was _running around and extinguishing said explosives._

I gasped and flipped myself over the wall, landing right on my ass in my panic. I didn't pay that any mind, though, as I began to run over to where the two were apparently duking it out before I _tripped _by -

**"What the fuck, Reborn?!"**

"Ciaossu."

With no time for his _shit _I hurried to my feet, only to see Tsuna extinguishing the remaining sticks of dynamite by Gokudera's feet. Said _maniac _stumbled back onto his rear in surprise and shock, looking -

Oh.

As Tsuna fell back, apparently fainting, I planted my butt onto my feet, coming to a rest on my knees on the ground several meters away from the action, just now noting that I was short of breath in the back of my mind.

As I watched Gokudera's face and his astoundingly wide range of emotions shown there for all the world to see before he quickly bowed his head, not moving the rest of his body, memories of what I read about him invaded my mind.

And...I think I understood what just happened.

* * *

><p><em>He had been fully prepared to kill him.<em>

_To kill him violently with smoke and gunpowder and explosions. To turn him into bone and char and ash._

_But he was surprisingly strong, fast. Gokudera was initially just frustrated, but when he saw that no matter how many bombs he threw at Sawada Tsunayoshi, none managed to so much as explode, let alone harm him._

_He grew more and more agitated, furious that this _brat _was besting him, and his judgement clouded. He resorted to a technique that he hadn't finished yet, and he payed for it._

_A few lit bombs fell from his grasp, and the rest followed._

_He was dead._

_In an instant, tuning out the yelling of his target, he just stared at the dynamite scattered at his feet, fuses seeming to shrink in slow motion. His consciousness was thrust back to his past._

_His oblivious, naive contentedness; his sudden, glaring pain and confusion; his feelings of abandonment and betrayal and rejection; his anger and spite and resentment; his bombs, the explosions, the gore, the absence of satisfaction; his frustration at anything and everything, at the world, his struggle just to survive, his anger and spite and resentment and hopelessness and pain and sadness and fear and loneliness_

_and __**loneliness**_

_**lonely**_

_and worthlessness._

_Worthless._

_All amalgamating at this one point in time, meeting back for one last rendezvous just to spite him before his life was blown apart like those he had blown apart himself._

_Ending just as worthless as he became when the only person that ever thought he mattered died before he even knew to care._

_The End._

_In an instant he accepted his death._

_But just as he did something different came into his view and the little sparks signaling his imminent death went out one by one, at an astounding rate. He blinked as he realized that_

_his target,_

_who he tried to kill,_

_was...saving him?_

_As more and more fuses were extinguished Gokudera fell backwards, watching the boy before him with wide eyes, unable to move or say anything in this moment of his intense emotions._

_The last spark went out just as a spark was lit._

_The boy before him fell backwards, apparently unconscious._

_For a moment Gokudera didn't move. So many emotions were tearing through him that his body seemed to go numb._

_He somehow got enough bearing to hide his face with his hair, balling his fists at his sides, trying to stifle the trembling in his fingers and arms._

_What...just happened?_

_He was -_

_The world was about to finally be rid of his worthless self, and yet -_

_This boy in front of him - this boy that he didn't know - this boy that he tried to kill - this boy that he had bad-mouthed and antagonized and given absolutely no reason to be kind to him let alone save his life -_

_He had done just that._

_In years - long, long years - no one had so much as spared him a glance filled with worry for _his _safety, for his wellbeing. Those he encountered all wanted him dead. All thought him a waste of space, of air, of breath. All considered him a worthless, laughable burden. His life meant nothing._

_But the boy sprawled out on the ground before him..._

_He was...different?_

_He had saved the life of a stranger that just tried to kill him when he had no obligation or reason to do so._

_Because of this stranger, this Sawada Tsunayoshi..._

_Gokudera Hayato could maybe...keep living._

* * *

><p>I watched everything.<p>

Any anger or sense of urgency I initially had had by now evaporated and been replaced with sympathy. I couldn't say that I knew what he was thinking or that I understood his feelings or what he was going through right now, but I could just _feel _the plethora of emotions churning around inside of him, just beneath the surface. I could tell by his clenched fists that he was trying to keep it from breaking through.

I could see his shoulders trembling, and my heart ached for him.

Both Reborn and I were silent and still, letting what was happening play out, though I desperately wanted to do _something_. But this was definitely not something that I should interfere with. But, though I felt the need to act I was also afraid to so much as move for fear of disturbing whatever it was the silverette was going through.

It was then that Tsuna himself moved, and Gokudera's head immediately snapped up to stare at him with wide eyes. As Tsuna slowly sat up I made to move, but Reborn grabbed a hold of my pant leg and held me back and I bit my lip in impatience.

Tsuna put a hand to his head but jerked backwards in surprise when Gokudera suddenly flipped over on his hands and knees, apparently coming to a decision, entire demeaner changing in an instant.

"I was mistaken!"

Tsuna blinked, and I blinked, and I could just _feel _Reborn smirk.

"You're fit to be the Tenth!" My jaw dropped and Tsuna balked.

"Eh?!"

"I'll follow Saw - no, the Tenth anywhere! I'm at your service!" He bowed, his forehead to the ground.

...What.

_Now _Reborn chose to speak up, though no one seemed to take note of me, sitting right next to him. "For the loser of a fight to become the subordinate of the winner is a family rule."

Another "Eh?!"

Gokudera didn't completely lift his head as he spoke. "Actually, I never wanted to become the Tenth. After I heard that the heir to the Vongola is a Japanese kid my own age, I felt like I had to test his strength." Tsuna blinked again, apparently speechless.

Gokudera looked up now, beaming (what), making Tsuna jerk with surprise again. "But you're so much more than I expected! Putting your life on the line to save someone like me...I'll place my life in your hands!" My jaw dropped a little further and Tsuna flipped.

"Your life?! Don't do that, it's troubling! J-just normal c-classmates will do, right?!"

Instantaneously Gokudera's look went from elated and admiring to stern and quite frightening (to Tsuna), frosted green eyes becoming sharp. "Absolutely not."

At that Tsuna froze completely in a deadpan, too scared to move. Or to argue.

At that time I gave an inelegant snort, then started full-out laughing. I assume Tsuna jerked his head in my direction and Gokudera just turned and scowled, but I could't see because I was laughing so hard.

"Kaylin?!"

...He really did just now notice me?

I was too busy laughing at him (in good humor, of course) to care much, though.

"I thought you didn't come to school again, today! And why are your clothes all dirty?"

I stopped laughing and blinked, then glanced down at my clothes.

...

**"Son of a - !"**

"Gokudera became your subordinate because of your own strength. Good job, Tsuna." Reborn had moved over to Tsuna and Gokudera, leaving me blinking at having been interrupted, still several meters away from everyone.

_This is his fault, though! The little __**shit!**_

Tsuna seemed to spaz a little, "What are you talking about?!"

My eye twitched again at this entire situation.

It was then that I remembered that Tsuna had just extinguished a shit load of dynamite with his bare hands.

Shit.

"Hey, Tsuna - are your hands okay?" I pushed off of the ground, using how I was sitting to gain instant speed and jogged over to my boss, ignoring my very likely bruised ass.

Tsuna jumped and blinked at me in confusion before realizing and looking down at his hands. "Oh, um...I've just got little burns here and there..." He trailed off, but waved his hands about trying to reassure me upon seeing my worried frown. "It's fine, they don't hurt that bad!"

I pursed my lips at him, looking stern. The boy only sweatdropped, reassuring smile turning into something of a grimace.

"Don't coddle him," Reborn reprimanded. I puffed out my cheeks and "hmph"d, crossing my arms in defiance.

"Somebody has to, considering you seem to be intent on getting him mauled or maimed or some other spectacular method of death. Like, oh, _explosion._" I pointedly shot a glare at Gokudera, who bristled, while Tsuna "hiiee"d in alarm.

"K-Kaylin, it's over now, so let's just forget about it...!" He trailed off as he desperately looked back and forth between Gokudera and me, in the middle of our glaring contest/stand-off.

Since I was too busy being a ditz yesterday to Assess the _new kid _I took the opportunity now to do so.

_Assess_

_Age, approximately 13 years. Height, 168 cm. Weight, 54 kg. While bone structure is rather slight, muscle mass is somewhat considerable, making up for any lack in durability. Posture and facial expressions indicate alertness, as do observable physiological phenomena. Emotional state seems to be somewhat volatile, caution may be taken to avoid potential altercations. Smell indicates smoking habit, though lungs seem to be high functioning, not much suffering as a result. _

_Potential threat: moderate_

_Immediate threat: minimal_

_Identity: Gokudera Hayato, alias "Hurricane Bomb Hayato," "Smokin' Bomb Hayato"_

I was finished in three seconds.

Gokudera looked like he was about to throw a tantrum. Before he could, however, our little family apparently caught the attention of some classmates.

"Oh, no~ these guys are skipping class!" A smarmy voice called.

This time both Gokudera and I bristled as we snapped our heads in their direction.

"You're only allowed to skip starting third year! This deserves punishment."

"How many teeth do you want to lose?"

My eyes narrowed dangerously, a metallic glint undoubtedly flashing at them. The idiots were apparently too dense to take the hint, though.

Tsuna flipped again and I noticed Gokudera move off to my left, though I kept my eyes on the assholes coming closer to us.

"Allow me, Tenth," the silverette growled as he stepped forward. "I'll take care of them."

I blinked and finally looked at him as he started to light sticks of dynamite with the cigarette that somehow manifested between his teeth.

Wait, wha - ?!

"W-wait! Gokudera-kun, don't use dynamite!"

By then it was a little too late to stop the explosions, though.

Honestly, I was kinda bummed about not getting a chance to kick any upperclassmen ass. Not like it could be helped, though - I had seriously drained my stamina running around town like I was being chased by maniacs.

Oh, yeah. **I WAS. **In fact, I was still struggling to catch my breath.

Tsuna was flipping out but didn't dare get closer to the massacre (minus death) that Gokudera was unleashing on the assholes, whereas I was passively trying to brush dirt off of my clothes, shooting Reborn seething glares here and there.

All was well (considering), until I was surprised by a wave of fatigue. I blinked in mild concern before a yawn made its way out of my mouth. The mild concern turned into something close to alarm as small cough escaped my throat. Another one followed soon after and to my (definitely, now) alarm I thought I tasted something like copper.

I quickly looked around at Tsuna. I felt relieved when he didn't notice my small episode. I stiffened, though, when I glanced down to see Reborn watching me closely. He had definitely noticed that. He frowned and I looked away with another light cough, covering my mouth. I avoided meeting his eyes, wondering what he would be thinking.

I swallowed and focused on controlling my breathing, eyeing Tsuna to make sure I had a chance to act natural should he turn to look at me. I took slow, shallow breaths to avoid straining my lungs any more than I already had that day. I probably shouldn't have sprinted as much as I had... Not only was I _not _in the best shape of my life, but I also had the handicap of this _sickness._ A handicap that I still didn't know how to cope with...

I put a gentle hand to my chest, trying to discreetly survey for any damage. There was a bit of an itch around my lungs every time I breathed, like there was a pain that was barely there. I wasn't entirely sure what asthma felt like, but intuition told me that it must have been similar to this. My body tried to make me yawn again, but I bit it back, knowing that I may have a fit again if I did.

I wanted to look down at Reborn to try to assess what he was thinking, but I just crossed my arms over my chest and took an impatient stance, pretending like nothing was wrong. Although I knew, without any doubt, that I would be hearing about this later...

* * *

><p>Reborn frowned at the redhead. She looked mildly pained and like she was trying to suppress a coughing fit. There was also an alarmed look in her eyes. She quickly suppressed it, though, when she noticed him observing her, and this only made his frown deepen. While it wasn't in his nature to be overly concerned with others, this was a family member of the future boss of the Vongola, and he <em>did <em>care about his famiglia.

He'd already been lenient with her as it is.

Gokudera made short work of the upperclassmen, and while Kaylin wasn't impressed, she was satisfied with his work, at the very least. Her fit more or less over, a smirk rested on her lips and she was decidedly ignoring what just happened to her. Reborn noticed and decided not to point it out. She would not respond well if he did, at least not right now.

"Serves 'em right. **Assholes.**"

"I'll tear apart anyone who bothers the Tenth," the human bomb said, dusting imaginary dirt off of his looked like he was almost ready to weep, clutching his head in his hands.

_'Why me? What have I done to deserve this?! I don't know how to handle these people!'_

* * *

><p><strong>Extra (a gift because of the short chapter and tardiness and because I do what I want, so fuck off) :<strong>

**"Friends," Coffee, and a Place to Stay**

The trio plus baby made their way down the street after the infant suggested a family supper as a celebration for the new family member, one person stomping, one trudging along, another nearly skipping, and the infant seated on his student's head.

"_Why _is _she _coming?!"

"_Why _do _you _have a problem with it?!"

"_I _don't _like _you."

"_Why _the hell _not?!_"

"You're acting too close to the Tenth!"

"I'm what?!"

Well, she _was _skipping.

Tsuna was walking with his shoulders tensed up to his ears, not wanting to intervene in the verbal scuffle between his two scary friends.

"You heard me!"

"I act like a _subordinate_, you -"

"I keep saying, I don't have subordinates and I'm not your boss! We're _friends!_" Tsuna snapped (mentally), holding his fuzzy head in his hands for the umpteenth time that day. Then he almost had a heart attack when Gokudera's gaze shifted to him, the "back the fuck off" look having not quite dissipated.

Whereas Gokudera gave a "keh," but caught Tsuna's distress at their bickering and stood down, Kaylin stopped in her tracks as a puff of steam erupted into existence around her ears. No one else seemed to notice, as she lagged behind for a moment. Except for Reborn, of course, who gave a knowing smirk, but quickly hid it.

It seems that it didn't occur to her that Tsuna considered their relationship one of "friendship."

* * *

><p>"I'm home!" Tsuna calls into his house while stepping out of his shoes, knowing his mom should be doing whatever housewives do throughout the day in the kitchen.<p>

Gokudera was stiff with nervousness at being inside his boss's home for the first time and his general irritation with Kaylin is forgotten for the moment. "E-excuse the intrusion!" He says with stiff formality. Just after he'd caused so much trouble for the Tenth, he was invited into his home... The thought made his chest well up with gratitude.

Kaylin, coming from America, nearly forgot. "I'm home!" She blinked and would have realized that she said the wrong thing even without the funny look from Tsuna. She flushed and gave a sheepish grin, pulling on her braid as a nervous habit. "Sorry," she chuckled.

Nana moved to the door frame and stuck her head out curiously. "Welcome home, Tsu-kun - _Ara! _Kei-chan stopped by again! Ara? Who's this, Tsu-kun? Another friend?" Excitement and sparkles radiating from her, she skipped over to stand in front of her son and his guests, spatula in hand and beaming smile on her face.

Gokudera stiffens even more, a flustered flush on his face, much to Kaylin's amusement, who smirked and raised an eyebrow at him, very much enjoying his discomfort. Tsuna sweatdropped at the look on her face, feeling somewhat sorry for his new friend.

The silverette almost fumbled in introducing himself, so unaccustomed to smiles like that directed at someone like him. He bowed low at the waist and proceeded, "I'm Gokudera Hayato! Very pleased to make your acquaintance!"

Nana blinked at him, but continued smiling and Kaylin had to stifle a snort, forgetting how she would have been just as nervous as he was upon first meeting Nana if she hadn't been so flustered and frazzled herself. Tsuna, however, remembered and gave another sweatdrop, but didn't bother to say anything.

The woman waved her hand at Gokudera with a laugh, urging him to straighten. "Maa, Gokudera-kun, there's no need to be so formal! And welcome to my home! I'm so glad Tsu-kun's been making so many friends, lately! Will you two be staying for supper?" The eager look on her face and the sparkles still radiating from her would have made them unable to decline anyway, but Reborn spoke up first.

"I invited them for a celebratory meal. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not! Now I have an excuse to cook a lot," she giggled. "Please, you two, make yourselves at home. And Tsu-kun, you be a good host, you hear me?" The stern look on her face was nearly overshadowed by the sparkles that were _still _dancing around her, but Tsuna got the idea.

Before her son could even answer she pranced off into the kitchen, undoubtedly to begin supper.

* * *

><p>Thankfully, Reborn had begun forcing Tsuna to clean his room upon his arrival into the Sawada household, so it was clean enough for company that afternoon. So, that's where they settled down to wait for supper.<p>

Gokudera was sitting stiff with formality to Tsuna's right hand (ha ha), but was slowly easing into the lax atmosphere of Tsuna's room. He was doing his best to ignore his irritation at being in close quarters with the redhead he'd come to dislike rather quickly.

Kaylin was looking around curiously, having sat across from Tsuna and the door(she didn't like having her back to doors). It was clean enough and looked like she'd always imagined a boys room would be, if a little more minimalist than her expectations.

After having started his coffee, Reborn got to business. "Since we're all here, study."

Various reactions ensued: Tsuna threw his head back and groaned, but knew he couldn't get out of it since it was Reborn; Gokudera sat up immediately straighter - this was something he could definitely help the Tenth with - he'd definitely make up for his mistake and show his gratitude to the Tenth; Kaylin groaned but for a different reason - she had missed two days of school, and would have to learn everything as opposed to just study it. It wouldn't be hard, of course, but it would be a pain in the ass.

At that moment Kaylin jumped, earning the questioning glances of her friend plus Gokudera (he had to earn that title). She fumbled a bit with pulling her school bag onto the table and unzipping it so that a little fuzzy head could poke out.

Gokudera's jaw dropped at the sight of a rat scuttling along the table and over to his boss. "What the hell?!" He was about to swat it away until he was waved off by a frantic Tsuna.

"No, no, this is just Hina!"

"Hurt her and I'll skin you alive if she doesn't maul you first," Kaylin growled in Hina's defence. Gokudera's eye twitched at the threat and Tsuna "hiiee!"d at both Kaylin's tone and the information that Hina could maul something.

"No violence! _No violence!_" Tsuna pleaded. His two friends (one brand new) glared at each other for a moment before settling back down with simultaneous huffs. The fuzzy-headed one sweatdropped before remembering the rodent seated patiently before him. He glanced at her tensely with a newfound cautiousness.

"U-um..."

"**Oh, fuck sake, **she won't maul you, Tsuna. She likes you. And she's going to jump on your head, again," she said, giving him half a second of warning before Hina shot up his arm and hopped onto his head, already used to the distance and power needed to get the job done. To Tsuna's credit, he only jerked a little.

Gokudera, on the other hand, slammed his hands onto the little table and glared fiercly at Kaylin. "Don't let your dirty rat climb on the Tenth, you uncivilized woman!"

Kaylin bristled and leaned forward herself, voice raised, "First of all, her name is Hina and she is _not _dirty! She's a very meticulous cleaner and takes great pride in it!" Gokudera was about to give a surly retort before Kaylin slammed her own hands on the table, leaning forward and raising her voice again, "_Secondly,_ she doesn't _belong _to anyone, she's my partner **and I value her as such!**" She cut Gokudera off again, once more leaning forward, balancing on her knees, now, "_**Thirdly, **_no one _let's _her do anything; she's independent **and she does what she fucking wants!**" Finished, she sat back on her rump with a huff, crossing her arms and glare/pouting at the table, wishing people would just chill out about her rodent companion.

Both Tsuna and Gokudera sweatdropped for the same reason.

"K-Kaylin, you slipped into English...again," he told her somewhat gently. That, and she didn't even object to being called uncivilized. The girl blinked and immediately flushed, but refused to look up. Tsuna turned to Gokudera, who had yet to settle down. "And Gokudera-kun, I really don't mind Hina - although the fact that she's capable of mauling something concerns me," he added under his breath - "so you don't need to get worked up about her, o-okay?" He placated, hands moving in a gesture of such.

Gokudera regarded his boss, then reseated himself formally, hands on his knees, eyes closed. "If the Tenth says so..."

Tsuna twitched at the direct use of the term "Tenth," but forgot about it when Reborn set a hot pot of coffee in the middle of the table.

"Since I'm so nice, I'll share my precious coffee with you three, so stop shouting so much. Before I shoot."

Tsuna stiffened and Kaylin cringed, whereas Gokudera simply took the statement in stride and began pouring coffee into one of the several mugs Reborn had also set on the table.

"If we're having coffee," Kaylin sighed and stood up, lightly clapping her hands on the table as she did so, "I'll go see if I can find some creamer or something."

Reborn pointedly looked at Tsuna, but didn't need to say anything as the boy blinked and turned around to look at Kaylin, who had already made her way to the door. Kaylin sensed his look and waved dismisively at him.

"It's fine, it's fine." She did pause however, to look at Hina looking up at her from inside of Tsuna's head fuzz, the boy also looking up at her.

Kaylin blinked once. Her lips quivered but she didn't move another muscle. Tsuna furrowed his brows at her and Gokudera's irritable glare shifted to a suspicious one. Even Reborn raised an eyebrow.

Kaylin took a deep breath to maintain composure and opened her mouth to _calmly _say something. She was interrupted when Hina gave the tiniest sneeze anyone in the room had ever heard.

The redhead's face immediately flushed and transformed into one of mirth as she doubled over in uncontrollable giggles, clutching her stomach.

The act was so surprisingly _female _that it took everyone in the room by surprise - even Gokudera who had only officially known her for a few hours, though he soon mentally brushed it off as a stupid quirk of the female species that he would never understand, anyways - though Reborn hid it quite well behind his coffee mug.

Kaylin struggled to straighten as she clamped a hand over her mouth, rather embarrassed by her outburst; her face remained flushed for that reason. Her shoulders still shook and her fringe had managed to get somewhat messy. Her metallurgic eyes were infinitely softened by the happiness and tears in them, and it was rather disarming to the males in the room, though the two mafia affiliates would never admit it.

"U-um, are you okay?" Tsuna asked with a sweatdrop once Kaylin's breathing seemed to have stabilized. Kaylin blinked and almost spluttered into laughter once more but managed to stop herself with a harsh bite on her lip, hidden by her hand.

**"Mmhm,"** came the muffled reply. She remembered that that sound was an English gesture, so she nodded to accentuate it. Tsuna wasn't entirely convinced. Kaylin could tell, so she cleared her throat and told him, "Hina's just really adorable, is all."

This only confused the two boys in the room as Kaylin turned and walked out the door. Reborn smirked at the two with knowledge that comes with age.

"You two still don't understand the workings of the female heart," he said sagely.

Tsuna twitched and swung his head back around to glare at him. "As if you do!"

As she descended the steps, braid bouncing happily behind her, the redhead giggled a little to herself, trying desperately not to make a "squee" sound. She vehemently told herself that she was _not _girly and would _not _act as if she were. Even though her maternal instincts exploded on her just prior. She also vehemently told herself that she was _not _in denial.

She was also _not _skipping, even though she just nearly tripped at the last step.

Kaylin rounded the banister and heard Nana humming happily away in the kitchen. She hoped the matron wasn't too busy, though she knew Nana would probably be happy to help - it seemed her nature.

The redhead peeked around the doorframe and saw Nana working on something at the kitchen counter, back to the door. Kaylin shuffled her feet for a moment, suddenly shy. She hoped she didn't end up startling Nana by being too quiet. The girl took a steadying breath and -

- Nana turned around to get some other ingredient or something and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the shock of blood red poking out from around the doorframe. Kaylin jumped when Nana jumped and the knife the matron was holding nearly slipped out of her hand.

"Maa, _Kei-chan,_ don't startle me like that!" She pleaded, eyes wide.

Kaylin was immediately assaulted with an unnecessarily intense wave of guilt and she flailed her hands in front of her. "I was going to say something just before you turned around but you turned around too fast and I didn't mean to -"

The frantic, rapidly speaking girl was interrupted when the older woman snorted and began giggling. Kaylin blinked as Nana waved her into the kitchen.

"Kei-chan, I'm not mad!" She giggled again, "Don't be so nervous!"

Kaylin blinked and took tentative steps into the kitchen, a light flush on her face.

"Actually, you came at a good time, Kei-chan. I was just making snacks!" Nana beamed at the girl and turned back to what Kaylin now could see were little finger-sized sandwiches. "They're really easy to make, so I'm almost done, already!" She sang. "I got to thinking and I figured at your age you'd be more interested in convenience than in making yourselves healthy snacks, so I made some for you!" Nana bounced a little on her toes, proud of her insight into the teenage intellect. Kaylin internally conceded that of the three teenagers (including herself, of course) wouldn't care much enough to spend the time on healthy snack foods, and Reborn would just let them do as they pleased as long as it didn't bother him. That and he would eat whatever the hell he wanted, anyways.

Kaylin shyly looked over Nana's shoulder at the sandwiches and blinked. White bread, some greens such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, some fresh-looking lunch meat - they looked fantastic, she thought, impressed.

"Thank you, Kei-chan."

Kaylin jerked a little, startled. She stepped back, but Nana kept looking down at her handiwork, though her eyes looked a little far away and she had a small, fond smile on her face. Kaylin's brows furrowed in confusion, not sure why she should be receiving gratitude.

Nana continued, "I know it's only been a little while, but ever since you and Reborn-kun made friends with him, Tsu-kun's been much more lively. And he's even made another friend and brought him over from school!" Nana's smile widened as she looked over her shoulder at Kaylin, who was at a loss for words and blushing. "This is the most friends he's ever had, you know." Kaylin saw the woman's smile turn just a little sad as she shifted her gaze back to the countertop. "And he's never brought anyone over before, either."

Kaylin found herself frowning just a little, but Nana stopped her train of thought before it even began by spinning around and beaming at her again.

"But now, look!" Nana grabbed ahold of both of Kaylin's hands, and the girl noted in the back of her mind that they were about the same size. The older woman looked up at Kaylin since she was about two inches or so shorter, surprising the girl again.

Nana's eyes were bright and sparkling again, allowing no words from Kaylin to form as she stared at the woman, mouth open, eyes wide.

"Tsu-kun's made friends all on his own, and it looks like I don't have to worry, anymore!" The mother leaned a little more forward, pinning Kaylin with an earnestly grateful look. "That's why I'm thankful, Kei-chan. So keep taking care of my son, okay?" Nana smiled winningly and Kaylin was struck again by how pretty the woman was.

She blinked, not quite knowing what to say.

"I - u-um," Kaylin stammered intelligently, still blushing. She couldn't seem to get any multi-syllable words out, so she nodded dumbly.

Nana apparently expected nothing less, and gave Kaylin's hands a warm squeeze.

The matron straightened expelled some air dismissively. "Now that that's over," she giggled, giving the girl a wink, "You'd better take these snacks up to the boys before they get impatient!" She turned to grab the tray that the sandwiches were on and pushed it at Kaylin, who jumped and blinked owlishly down at it, still coming down from the surprise of Nana's words.

Nana giggled again and twirled Kaylin around by the shoulders and gave her a gentle push towards the door. Kaylin stumbled a little and looked back at the woman, but she had already turned back to the counter, humming tunelessly. Kaylin blinked again, then turned and made her way up the steps, light on her feet.

Nana had been grateful to Kaylin. The redhead had realized that Tsuna's school life had been a little rough, but...

Kaylin was so dazed that she didn't have time to think before she reached the door to Tsuna's room.

"Someone get the door, my hands are full!" She called, tapping her foot in some kind of attempt to increase her patience.

_"Ah, allow me, Tenth!" _She heard Gokudera's voice and shuffling sounds as the boy scrambled to get to the door before Tsuna got the chance to turn around completely.

_"Ah - th-thank you, Gokudera-kun..." _Kaylin could almost see his sweatdrop.

_'The kid is certainly rushing to be of help to Tsuna," _she thought bemusedly.

The door opened to reveal a _deeply _scowling Gokudera. Kaylin instinctively frowned back. The boy 'hmph'd and wasted no time with pleasantries as he turned on his heel to retake his seat to Tsuna's right. The redhead felt her cheek twitch.

"Eh, Kaylin, what's that?" Tsuna wondered, eying the tray in his friend's hands.

Kaylin grinned at him, stepping forward and closing the door with her heel. Any souring of her mood by Gokudera was quickly forgotten upon her recalling Nana's words and actions.

"Maman made snacks," she informed him.

Tsuna blinked.

"You said 'Maman' again."

Kaylin blinked.

"O-oh." She flushed and Gokudera scoffed. Her cheek twitched again.

Kaylin cleared her throat as she made her way to her seat, striving for a little regained dignity. She sat the tray down in the middle of the table and seated herself more primly than was normally in her nature.

Fighting a smirk, Reborn scooted a very slightly cooled cup of coffee in front of the girl.

"Here."

She blinked and gave a "thank you." Then she paused.

And blinked again.

"Idiot, you forgot the creamer," came Gokudera's helpful observation.

...

...

_Twitch._

**"Oh, **_**son of**_** a fucking piece of **_**shit**_**!"**

* * *

><p>It had been a long day and Gokudera Hayato was tired. Despite that, he was sure that he'd be unable to rest well even if he had somewhere to sleep peacefully tonight. Now that he thought of it, he'd have to fix that.<p>

He had a place he needed to be now, after all.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he thought about that evening, eyes cast to the ground.

To his joy he had gotten a little better acquainted with the Tenth. His boss was humble and modest, but that didn't undermine the pure greatness that Gokudera could so very clearly see in the boy. He hated himself for not seeing it sooner, and that had lead him to make a terrible mistake in attacking him.

But he wouldn't dwell on that. If he had time for regret, then he could focus on making it right, which is exactly what he intended to do. Exactly what he _would _do.

The Tenth's mother was an excellent cook and hostess. As expected of the family of the one who was worthy of becoming the Vongola Decimo. She had welcomed an unexpected guest with such gusto and kindness that Gokudera hadn't really been sure what to do with himself or the unignorable feeling of gladness that welled up inside of his chest.

It had been so terribly long since he'd even _seen _such maternal behavior, much less been the one it was directed to. He didn't know how to handle or cope with any of it, yet.

And then there was _that _one. The uncivilized female.

What the hell was she doing hanging around the Tenth like that, calling herself a subordinate?

Gokudera lit a cigarette out of habit and irritation.

He had a long, long list of people that he didn't like, and now she was on it. Top twenty at _least._

And her eyes gave him a bad feeling. At times they were sharp, metallic, and dangerous. If he was honest with himself, they occasionally put him on edge.

He didn't like her.

That, and she irritated the ever-living _shit _out of him. Not that most people didn't in the first place.

And the freakin' rat.

The freakin' _rat._

Who the hell carries around a _rat _with them?!

Although the Tenth seemed to like the rodent... He supposed he could let the rodent slide. For now.

But that _girl -_

He stopped that train of thought. He was getting a headache.

He looked up at the now dark sky and chewed on his cigarette, contemplating. Since he was going to stay in Namimori he'd need to restock his dynamite. He couldn't very well protect the Tenth without his weapon. He'd have to book a round trip flight back to Sicily, which would use up more or less the rest of his funds...

He sighed but didn't complain. This was for the Tenth, after all.

He frowned as an afterthought meandered its way into his mind.

He'd have to find an apartment...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**DEAR MOTHER OF GOD THAT WAS SUCH A WRITER'S BLOCK-RIDDEN PIECE OF CLUSTERFUCKERY.**

**I am SO sorry that this took me so long to update. Issues came up that made this chapter rather difficult for me to write/finish and GADAMMIT FFN WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU BEING SUCH A FUCKING DOUCHEBAG RIGHT NOW STOP IT**

**GEEZ**

**or maybe that's just my kindle oops**

**Also, please ignore how the extra is longer than the actual chapter. Just. You know. I'm not sure what I was doing with that.**

**Ciao ciao!**

**Kei: So.**

**Mutt: Oh god.**

**Reborn: *impassive***

**Tsuna: Kaylin! Where have you been?  
><strong>

**Mutt: Oh god.**

**Kei: I've just been...oh, you know. Exercising.**

**Reborn: *snorts***

**Kei: YOU LITTLE -**

**Mutt: Oh god.**

**Kei: - SHIT.**

**Tsuna: HIIIEEE! Kaylin, where did you get that baseball bat?!**

**Mutt: Oh _GOD -_**

**Reborn: *disappears*  
><strong>

**Tsuna: _Why?! Why can't I just live peacefully?!_**

**Kei: WHERE DID HE GO.  
><strong>

**Mutt: *flees less discreetly***

**Tsuna: *SOBS* DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!**

***explosions and crumbling buildings***

**Reborn: *cackles in the air from a Leon-hang glider***


	8. Some Seriously Unnecessary Drama

**Mutt: So this chapter will be kind of intense.**

**Kei: AND I'M STILL SORE YOU FUCKI -**

**Goku: STOP FUCKING SHOUTING!**

**Kei: YOU'RE NOT EVEN IN THIS CHAPTER, LOSER**

**Goku: *turns to stone***

**Tsuna: I think you made him feel bad...**

**Mutt: Look at what you've done! He just got here and you're being mean! You know his backstory and everything!**

**Kei: That doesn't mean he has to be a dick about everything!**

**Mutt: Well, you **_**were **_**caps-locking, there.**

**Kei: *grumbles***

**Mutt: Yo, Tsuna, why don't you do the disclaimer this time since Aho-dera and Kei-chan are sulking?**

**Kei & Goku: I'M NOT SULKING.**

**Mutt: Aaaand that's you're cue, buddy.**

**Tsuna: U-um! Er, let's see...**

**Disclaimer: The author doesn't profit from this story or anything... and she only own - HIIEEE, KAYLIN'S GOING TO KILL ME**

**Mutt: I only brain pooped the OC.**

**Kei: NOT THAT SHIT AGAIN, GADAMMI -**

* * *

><p>So, so tired.<p>

And _sore._

I had taken one last day off from school, though I knew it would probably not be quite enough for me to recuperate. Although, considering how sore I was when I laid down for sleep the night before (which was rather early for me, mind you) and considering how I was markedly _less _sore when I woke up that morning from a very fitful sleep, I was recovering a hell of a lot better than normal people would.

My Flame has been cancelling out a lot of the damage my muscles took during my _fucking escapade _the day prior. The Flame of Nil is more suited to healing injuries of the traumatic kind, such as cuts, bruises, broken bones (even poisoning), while more subtle things like muscle fatigue can only be helped so much. I wasn't entirely sure _how _it worked or didn't work, or why, et cetera; I just knew what it did and didn't do. In general.

I had asked Tsuna to take more careful notes so he could share them with me - a plus of planned absences and not keeping secrets, and it was about time to head out. If I was timely, I could catch him while he made his way home

...I was starved for company, okay?! Hina slept all day and I didn't have anything to do, and for most of the day I was too sore to go and _find _something to do, so I was by myself without anyone to talk to for most of the day! So sue me if I wanna go visit my friend!

I halted in tying my tennis shoes, fingers pausing in tying a knot that I'd have to redo.

_Friend._

I...hadn't had a friend my own age before. That said, it sort of made sense that I wouldn't really realize what one would be like until it hit me in the face. Well, Tsuna was technically younger than me by a couple years - not that he knew that, yet - but I thought that that was as close as it'd get.

He had said it so quickly, like it...like it wasn't weird for him to say. Like it was apparent. Like it was _obvious_ to him that we were friends. Admittedly, he said that about Gokudera, too, but that didn't change the fact that he also said it about me. Tsuna considered us friends.

That made me...really happy.

I didn't notice that I was smiling to myself as I habitually checked my pockets and proceeded out the door, Hina perched on my shoulder. I also didn't notice the hum of smug happiness the rat was exuding in my direction.

I locked the newly repaired door (I nagged Reborn until he paid for it, the little shit) and trotted down the rickety stairs and off of the plot of land. Most students of Nami Middle don't live near this far edge of the residential district, so I didn't see any until I got nearer to Tsuna's preferred route to and from school.

I received a handful of curious looks here and there, but it must have been pretty apparent that I felt like shit, as nobody seemed very surprised or suspicious at seeing me out of uniform on a school day.

My musing was confirmed when Tsuna spotted me leaning against a wall, waiting for him to pass by.

"K-Kaylin!"

I gave an apparently weak wave with a cheeky grin. "Yo, Tsuna." Oh. I sounded kinda crappy, too.

Tsuna gave a mildly worried frown. "You look _really _tired. Didn't you rest well, today?"

I blinked, then gave a small smile at his concern, the word "friend" flitting through my mind. Then I snorted. "Do I really look that bad?"

Tsuna flailed. "N-no! I mean - you look tired, but - you don't look, er - !"

_"Woah,_ there, Tsuna!" I laughed, "It's fine!" He still looked like he had accidentally offended my great ancestors. "I'd rather you be honest with me, anyways."

He didn't seem all that convinced, but let it go, sighing to himself. From the look on his face he seemed to be berating himself internally. I switched the subject.

"So what did I miss in school?"

The fuzzy kid looked up at me and his entire demeanor seemed to brighten and he smiled a little. I blinked, honestly surprised.

"Good day?" I inquired with raised eyebrows, pushing off of the wall and motioning for him to walk with me. I had to stop the quiver in my upper lip as Tsuna seemed to have an internal monologue, his expression changing from happy to deadpan and back again.

"Well, it was mostly normal, especially with Gokudera-kun back in Italy for the now -" He jerked in alarm a little at my scowl as I huffed some air out of my nose. Tsuna laughed nervously, trying to placate me. "He - he's really not _that_ bad...I don't think..." He trailed off, apparently unable to think of a convincing argument on the spot.

I eyed him. "You're kind to a fault." He blinked, unsure as to how to take that semi-compliment. I reluctantly shrugged, though. "Admittedly, neither of us _actually_ know him that well, so maybe we'll warm up to each other or something...maybe," I relented. Even Tsuna could tell that I doubted my own words, though. and he laughed nervously again.

"So, school?" I prodded.

"Oh! Um, like I said, it was pretty normal until after PE," he began, and he smiled and seemed to contain some bubbling excitement, "but then a really popular guy came and asked me for some advice." I blinked and nearly missed a step, eyes widening in surprise.

"Really?"

He nodded with a smile.

"It looks like you're beginning to move up in life, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna and I both jumped out of our skins with simultaneous _"hiiee!"_s and whipped our heads to the right where a shrub with a face was smirking at us, though it raised it's eyebrow at me after I screamed.

_Reborn, you little shit!_

The infant gave a look of concern, though to a discerning eye one could clearly see that it was fake, and he frowned.

"You shouldn't let that become a habit, Kaylin. It's unseemly."

I blushed crimson. "I don't want to hear you say that from inside of a _fucking shrub!_"It was clear that all three parties (including me) was impressed that I managed to avoid slipping into English. "What the hell are you even doing in there?!" I was desperately trying to divert attention, and they both knew it.

Reborn let it slide, though. "Tsuna was taking too long to get home. That, and I was going to look for you, anyways," he looked me in the eye. I blinked, but before I could ask him to elaborate, he continued. "But first," he turned to Tsuna after having stepped out of the shrub (seriously, why?). "You were talking about a student a minute ago. About that Yamamoto."

Tsuna did a double take, though he was already looking at the baby.

"You knew?!"

"Wait, the kid that asked you for advice was Yamamoto?"

"Make him your subordinate."

_Don't ignore me!_

_Wait, what?_

"Wait, what?!" Tsuna exclaimed in alarm. I also shot Reborn a worried and questioning stare.

He wants to get that kid involved with the mafia?

Tsuna voiced my concerns, "You're going to turn my classmate into a member of the mafia, too?! Absolutely not! He's really into baseball, and I want to help him out as a friend!"

Reborn "hmph"d and didn't seem at all concerned about Tsuna's reluctance, treating it as a minor setback not even worth fretting over.

"That said, I'd like to move on to another important subject."

It looked like Tsuna nearly screamed in frustration as he pulled his hair. I was rather agitated, too, but Tsuna's woes took precedence and I moved my hands in a placating manner. I cast a worried look over my shoulder at Reborn, brows furrowed and frown in place.

The hitman saw my unasked inquiry and continued, though he would have whether or not I was interested, anyway.

"I have orders from the Ninth."

Both Tsuna and I froze, looking wide eyed at Reborn. My jaw dropped and my stomach clenched and I was suddenly insanely nervous.

Oh. That kind of important subject.

Tsuna spoke up first. "The current Vongola boss?" He questioned, voice a little shaky.

Reborn nodded, somewhat indulgently. "Orders for both of you," he elaborated.

"Eh?!"

I pointed to myself, almost bemusedly. "Me, too?"

The baby nodded again, rather business-like. "Last night I submitted a routine report to the Ninth, detailing Tsuna's progress as a boss, including any subordinates he may have acquired." He looked at me pointedly, and I swallowed. "I told him about you prior to this particular report, of course, but up until now he's been considering what to do with you."

My blood seemed go a little colder. He was the Vongola Nono, there's no doubt he knows full well what happened in my past - for the most part. Could it be that he didn't trust me? I supposed that was fair enough... But surely he wouldn't make me leave Tsuna's family...?

Reborn could clearly sense my rising tension. He put me out of my misery by assuring me, "Don't worry, you can stay."

I exhaled a breath that I didn't realize I had been holding. I then became acutely aware of Tsuna looking back and forth between Reborn and me. Dear god, what could he be thinking? I resisted looking at him - then he'd definitely be suspicious.

But...that would mean that I was actively hiding something from him.

Then again, I was actively hiding something from everyone except a very select few people.

I grit my teeth - was it entirely necessary for Tsuna to be here for this?!

No, I reminded myself; these were orders for the both of us. I just had to play cool and not show any cards that I haven't been asked for. I just desperately hoped that nothing would be said to make Tsuna distrust me.

We were friends, after all.

I was sure Reborn could make out the train of my thoughts - surely he could, even if there wasn't mild panic just below the surface of my expression.

"You can stay," he repeated, "however - " my shoulders stiffened a fraction more " - you're status in the family is probationary."

"...Probationary," I repeated hesitantly.

"Aa. There's a condition." He turned to Tsuna, who stiffened. "Which is why you need to hear this, too."

"Me?!"

I tried to keep my face blank as I finally looked sidelong at Tsuna. He was still looking back and forth between the two of us, obviously confused and a little exasperated.

"The condition is that Kaylin is not to engage in combat without your permission, Tsuna."

"Mine? Combat?!" Tsuna looked almost terrified. He couldn't seem to think of any multi-syllable questions.

I stood up a little straighter as I immediately understood the purpose of the order, aside from Tsuna's safety. This was to help ensure that I was kept under control. Or, at least, to ensure that I was kept from going _out_ of control.

"There are a couple of exceptions," Reborn said, "those being self-defence and the protection of Tsuna and the family. It will be my decision whether or not any actions you take constitute as exceptions or not, so there won't be any loopholes. It should also be noted that, should the situation arise, I have the authority to give you approval to act. Understood?"

I squared my shoulders. While I wasn't used to taking orders, I knew when it was necessary. And I respected Reborn and the Ninth, so it wasn't like it was very hard.

"Understood."

Reborn nodded. "Good. Any questions?"

_"Yes!" _Tsuna exclaimed. "You're talking about all of this like I'm Kaylin's boss! I keep telling you that I'm not going to be involved with the mafia!"

I sighed and bit my lip, but didn't say anything. I had gotten used to Tsuna's case of denial by now. Besides, I didn't want to see his bubble burst.

I hoped that he would be able to deny it for as long as possible.

I spent the rest of the evening half lost in thought, finding it a little difficult to interact with Tsuna and his mother. I assured them that I was just tired, and they seemed to believe it, though Tsuna seemed less convinced than his mother. Reborn, though, I imagined, wasn't fooled at all, but he didn't call me out on it.

Knowing that I would regret it in the morning, I went to sleep a little late that night.

_**- line break here -**_

I should not have gone to sleep a little late that night.

I was an absolute grump that morning, undoubtedly scowling at more things than usual and probably giving a few pedestrians heart attacks. I tried to reign in my poor attitude for fear of Tsuna regressing into being afraid of me again, as he had inched away from the entire walk to school and all the way into the classroom.

I slumped into my seat and banged my head onto my desk unceremoniously, earning a "hiiee!" from Tsuna, who was apparently somewhat concerned and would have said so sooner had he not been terrified, I imagine. My lack of concern for cranial trauma seemed to cross the line, though.

"U-um, Kay - "

"Keeeiii-_chan!_"

He was interrupted by a feminine voice that made me cringe, but before I could lift my head to scowl and possibly shout, I was glomped from behind, keeping my face pressed into the desk.

"Good morning, Kei-chan!"

"..._Saya_..." I growled into the desk. I could feel her stiffen somewhat, not expecting my _especially_ sour mood.

"Uh-um." Was all she said before she _carefully_ and _delicately _removed herself from her deathlock on my back and scampered away several meters. I slowly, _slowly_ lifted my face from the desk and began to turn back to look at her. The class had gone silent and I saw in my peripheral vision that Tsuna looked absolutely terrified out of his mind.

Say was holding her hands in what was probably the same position they had been in since she _assaulted_ me, eyes wide with a plastered-on smile on her face, though I could see the corners of her lips twitching with the strain.

She risked speaking. "I, um. I missed you?"

_Twitch._

**"What the absolute fu - "**

"Hey, everyone!"

Nobody really moved from watching the spectacle playing out before them until the boy shouted his next words of news, which _immediately _made me forget about my impending outburst of rage.

"Yamamoto's about to jump off the roof!"

My face went slack, as nearly everyone's did as the class as a whole turned to the messenger, who looked out of breath and had probably been running all the way from the roof.

There was silence before someone broke it with a supremely incredulous voice.

"Yamamoto? From our class?"

Dissenting chatter rose from the quiet.

Most of the boys laughed and scoffed, "Him? That's impossible."

Whereas most of the girls got irked, "There are good and bad jokes, you know!"

The messenger shook his head frantically, saying, "Yesterday when he stayed after school to practice he went too far and broke his arm!"

That seemed to strike true in the minds of most of the students, as they immediately began to rush out of the door. I snapped out of the small stupor I had been in and slowly stood up before noticing that Tsuna was still in the room, pale and trembling.

I frowned and started to call out to it, but someone I didn't notice had lagged behind beat me to it.

"Tsuna-kun, let's go!"

Kyoko's voice snapped Tsuna out of his own stupor as she said in a shaky voice, "Af...after I go to the bathroom."

Kyoko frowned but nodded before rushing off and down the hall.

He made no move as he stared at the floor, apparently horrified.

"Tsuna?" I called, gentle as I could. Even still he jumped violently and whipped his head around to stare at me, mouth handing open in surprise. My frown deepened. "You can go to the bathroom later, Tsuna; we need to get up there, _now_."

His shaking intensified as he blurted out, "This is my fault!"

I blinked, taken aback. "What? How the hell could this be your fault?" I moved towards him looking stern and grabbed him by the arm, steering him out the door and down the hall, him not putting up any sort of resistance.

"Y-yesterday, when he asked me for advice, he told me that his baseball wasn't going well lately, a-and I told him that practicing m-more was the answer!"

I stiffened, but kept looking ahead as what he told me clicked. I understood how he could think it was his fault, but -

"There's absolutely no way that you could have known that he'd go and break his damn arm, Tsuna." He flinched away from the harshness in my voice. I didn't mean to bark at him like that, but I was damn frustrated.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I just - I can't understand what the hell he's _thinking_," I said under my breath. I didn't realize that my grip on Tsuna's arm tightened.

No, I didn't know the guy at all, really, but whatever was going through his mind to make him wanna jump off the damn roof I knew, without a doubt, he didn't deserve.

Panic didn't really set in until I slammed open the door and skidded to a halt, dropping Tsuna's arm. I could easily see Yamamoto's head over the other students', and I could very easily confirm with my own eyes what was going on, forcing me to accept the situation.

Yamamoto was set on fucking killing himself via splatting all over the cement.

**"Fucking hell!"** I ground out. My mind was immediately reeling, trying to figure out what to do. I had been in too many dangerous situations to full on panic at a time like this, but this was a fucking kid and godammit I was _not _about to stand around and let him off himself. I wasn't thinking about any moral repercussions or motives to what I was doing - I just didn't want the kid to die.

I absently looked around for Tsuna, only to see him _not _there.

I was about to have a major flip out until I saw Reborn standing next to the corner of the exit that everyone had come from. He waved me over and I hurriedly trotted to him. I found Tsuna clutching his head in his hands, slumped on the ground in panic, muttering to himself.

"What should I do?! I shouldn't have said that - I can't face Yamamoto - !"

I stiffened.

I kind of wanted to smack some sense into him.

I had only twitched in Tsuna's direction before I felt a tug on my pantleg. Knowing who it must be I immediately stopped in my tracks.

"Don't lose your temper," he warned me.

I bit down hard on my lip. I looked desperately over to Yamamoto for a second before muttering, "I know," to the infant, who released his hold on my leg, deciding to trust me for the time being.

I stomped over to Tsuna, who snapped his head up and froze when he saw the look on my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, knowing that I still scared him sometimes. I exhaled and opened my eyes and leaned down to grab his arms and haul him to his feet and looked him dead in the eyes. I think he was too afraid and stressed out to say anything, but I spoke before he managed to clear his head.

"Distract him."

He blinked out of his daze. "Wh-what?"

I gave his arms a squeeze. "Distract him," I repeated. "Keep him busy for a few minutes. Give me time."

"G-give you time? A-and what do you mean `keep him busy`?! What am I supposed to say?! I can't - "

"Tsuna!" I almost shouted. He jerked but stopped talking, staring at me, wide-eyed. "Don't _panic,_" I reprimanded. "We - you and me - are going to stop him from hurting himself." I honestly doubted that he could talk Yamamoto down from there, but then again, if anyone could it would be Tsuna. But, that's why my plan would cover two fronts. I told Tsuna as much and, to his credit, he listened quietly.

"You try to talk him down from there - do what you can. I'm going to go downstairs to the second floor and to whatever room has a window directly below Yamamoto." I then tried to hide a grimace. "And then I'm going to work some magic."

Tsuna's brows furrowed and he looked like he was about to freak out again, but a squeaky voice interrupted him.

"You want to help Yamamoto as a friend, right?" Reborn didn't wait for a response as we both turned looked to him leveling the barrel of his gun at Tsuna. "Then don't run."

Tsuna promptly "hiiee!"d and took off through the crowd and towards Yamamoto - more accurately, away from Reborn and his itchy trigger finger. I didn't jump as I felt Reborn land on my shoulder, and I tore off down the stairs.

"What do you intend to do?" He asked me calmly, but with clear intrigue in his voice.

I jumped the last several steps I needed to take before answering, trying to hide my own doubt in myself.

"Cancel out some gravity in the area by the window."

The little hitman made a humming sound and then jumped off my shoulder. I skidded to a halt and frantically looked back at him. He was standing by a compartment or something in the wall - I couldn't be bothered to remember what it was.

Before I could say anything in panic, Reborn urged me on. "Go do what you will. I'll be backup."

I didn't really understand what he meant by that, but I just nodded and turned to sprint down the hall and nearly trip over myself yanking the door open to what I hoped was a room with an adjacent window to Yamamoto...

I hurried across the room and threw open a window, but barely peeked out. I had to make sure that Yamamoto wasn't looking down or something - it'd be bad news if he decided to move. I confirmed that he was indeed directly above me, then wasted no time in setting to work.

I focused and blocked out what noise I could hear, which seemed to be Yamamoto's yelling. I reluctantly ignored this and proceeded to summon my flames.

My flames weren't particularly corporeal, so it was only a matter of focus and imagination to manipulate and cancel out less corporeal things, such as gravity. I say "less corporeal" because of the (hypothetical) existence of the graviton, which was massless and therefore _also_ not particularly corporeal.

What? I do research.

Since gravity wasn't a wave or anything similar and couldn't be blocked like a signal, it was kind of difficult for me to completely get rid of it, so I could only, in this circumstance, slow Yamamoto's decent should he fall - or jump.

Once I got started, it was pretty easy to remember how to proceed and get back into the flow of cancelling gravity - like muscle memory. However, unlike in the past, I had much more limited supply of energy. The worst part was that I didn't know by _how much_ my energy was limited. I would have to be very careful. Yamamoto might end up with another broken limb if he landed funny, but he'd be alive.

I wasn't sure how much time passed, but it couldn't have been more than a minute. I risked a peek out of the window.

And immediately regretted it.

As I stuck my head out and looked up I swear I heard a gunshot and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a body falling directly above my head. I was doubly freaked out and confused when realized that it was _two _bodies falling.

And when I realized that one of them was _freaking Tsuna _I acted without thinking for an instant, totally on instinct.

_Assess_

_Assuming gravity is standard and fall time as of this moment is approximately two seconds, current velocity is roughly 19.5 m/s^2_

_Objective is to protect Sawada Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto Takeshi._

_Counting down in half-seconds_

_...3_

_...2_

I grabbed Tsuna's wrist and the back of Yamamoto's shirt with precision thanks to my Assessment just as Tsuna started to flip over - I belatedly noticed that he was clad in boxers -

Whatever slack my arms had disappeared in an instant and I felt the window sill dig into my stomach painfully, but I didn't fall - immediately. Instead I struggled desperately, but Tsuna wriggled in my grip with a fierceness that was extremely foreign about him. He turned and wrapped his arm around Yamamoto's torso under his arms and planted his feet into the wall, all in a split second - the gravity I managed to cancel out slowed their decent enough to enable me to support them for just less then a second before it was too much. But that was apparently more than enough time for Tsuna to figure out what to do on instinct.

I realized with panic that I was starting to fall with them because of my refusal to let them go. Tsuna accounted for this and grabbed the wrist of the hand that had latched onto his own.

And with an almost indignant squeal on my part, he pushed off with his feet.

"Save Yamamoto and Kaylin with my Dying Will!" He shouted.

And the three of us dropped like rocks. At an angle.

Tsuna yanked me forward and repositioned himself and Yamamoto and me _midair _until he could grab both of us around the waist and flip us onto his shoulders like he was carrying sacks of potatoes. My stomach did at least three backflips and a front layout as we hit the ground, Tsuna's legs braced wide, knees bent, Yamamoto and I held safely above the ground.

The two of us were in a daze when Tsuna gently set us on the ground. I looked up at him just before the Dying Will Flame flickered out of existence on his forehead. Our fuzzy rescuer collapsed onto his hands and knees with a great exhale of breath. Then he jerked his head up and scrambled around to look frantically between Yamamoto and me.

"Are you two okay?!"

I blinked. Yamamoto and I looked at each other with wide eyes, still extremely dazed by what just happened. We simultaneously looked back at Tsuna and nodded silently.

Tsuna sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." He then plopped onto his rear, very likely exhausted from the unexpected amount of adrenaline he just experienced. As was I, for that matter. But they were both safe.

I took a deep breath.

Then I snapped my gaze over to Yamamoto, who jerked in surprise at the undoubtedly very intense death glare I was giving him. I opened my mouth to speak, then snapped it back closed. Then opened to try again, but found that I still couldn't decide what I wanted to yell about first. So many choice words were floating through my head. I closed my eyes and found that my fists were trembling with anger. I bit hard on my lip, seriously fighting the urge to punch something in the face.

"K-Kaylin -" Tsuna started, but I interrupted him by snapping my eyes open and biting his head off.

"What?!"

Tsuna flinched and was wide-eyed with what was probably fear. I clamped my eyes shut again and rubbed my face with both hands.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I tend to yell when I'm _worried out of my friggin' mind!_" I ended up shouting anyways and glaring at Yamamoto again, who flinched as much as Tsuna did.

Good lord, I was _seething._ I couldn't remember the last time I was this fucking mad.

"U-um, Kaylin, m-maybe you shouldn't be yelling at him..." Tsuna said delicately while moving his hands in a placating gesture and trailed off, looking at me helplessly. I opened my mouth again, gaping somewhat, then clacked it shut for another time in the past few minutes.

"No, Tsuna, she's right to be angry..." Yamamoto finally spoke up, eyes glued to the ground in front of him. I looked at him, immediately feeling somewhat guilty for shouting like I had. He had just been ready to commit suicide, and I...

...Was still pissed.

"You're damn right I am!" I managed not to shout, at least, and only raised my voice.

"Kaylin!" Tsuna reprimanded, starting to sound angry himself. I ignored him, steadfastly glaring holes into Yamamoto's eyelids.

"I don't know whether to beat the shit out of you or hug you until your ribs collapse!" His eyes flicked up then, looking surprised, but wary, chastised, and guilty.

Good.

I leaned forward and assured him, "I'm leaning towards punching you in the throat," I hissed through gritted teeth. His eyes widened and Tsuna scrambled to his feet and grabbed my arm, trying to haul me away from him.

"No violence, Kaylin! Remember?!" I snapped my gaze around to him and was about to say something like I was surprised, which I was, but I suddenly felt all the blood rush from my head and I had a serious sensation of vertigo. I was wide-eyed and must have stumbled because Yamamoto realized something was wrong, too, and was on his feet in two seconds with his good left hand grabbing my free arm, steadying me.

My vision swam and I tried to blink the feeling away, like it was something tangible caught in my eye.

"Kaylin?!" Tsuna's voice, worried, got through - my hearing wasn't going, at least.

Shit, was my energy really that limited? I was so careful, too - dammit! It wasn't my lungs that I strained, at least, otherwise I'd be having a coughing fit. And that might get a little bloody.

"I'm good - I'm good; just a little...dizzy spell, is all - no biggie."

"Are you sure?" Tsuna pressed. "You look pale..." Yeah, he didn't seem convinced.

I gave a smile that probably looked more like a grimace as I gingerly pulled my arms from their grasps and took a step back, shrinking a little under their worried scrutiny - even Yamamoto? I was just about to rip the kid's damn head off...

"I'm fine, really. But, I'll take myself to the infirmary anyways, you know, just in case," I babbled. I didn't know how bad I depleted my energy, which was basically my own life force, and I figured I should go lay down. "I was sick yesterday, after all, so I probably just overexerted myself or...something."

Before either of them could protest I made to move away, heading for the school building. I managed to take two steps before my head started swimming again and I nearly tripped.

"Oh," was all I could manage before I blacked out.

* * *

><p>I blinked blearily and didn't move until my vision came into focus.<p>

I was lying down...somewhere that wasn't my room...

...The fuck?

I quickly sat up and saw that I was under some blankets on a cot...

**"...The fuck?" **I repeated verbally.

"Eh? Kei-chan!"

I snapped my head in the direction of the voice.

I blinked in surprise.

"You finally woke up!" Yamamoto fretted.

I blinked rapidly in bemusement and furrowed my brows.

"Um, yeah..."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Feeling...? **Oh, son of a bitch!**" I suddenly remembered and flopped back onto the cot with a thump and dug the heels of my hands into my eyelids and groaned like I was dying. "I blacked out?!" I kicked my feet under the covers like I was throwing a tantrum - which I nearly was.

"You really freaked Tsuna and me out!"

Just as quickly as I had flopped down I sat back up. "Where is Tsuna?" I asked, looking around like I might find his fuzzy head poking out from somewhere for some reason.

"He's been in class," he told me. I looked at Yamamoto sidelong and squinted at him.

"Why aren't you?" Though I suspected...

The boy's shoulders stiffened for a second before they slumped and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I've been hanging out here all day since I didn't really want to go back to the classroom, yet..." He avoided looking me in the eye, instead looking intently at his feet or his cast.

I felt my expression soften, the anger that had hit me like a freakin' truck after that fiasco had ended was nearly gone completely, at least for now. Yamamoto, on the other hand, seemed to still be feeling... Self-conscious? Nervous? ...Ashamed?

Waitaminnit.

"All day?" I questioned, wondering if I heard him right.

Yamamoto blinked and looked up at me again, tilting his head, but he nodded. "I think school will be over in less then an hour, now." He informed me.

My jaw dropped and I suddenly wanted to cry.

_Why?! That's four days! Four days in a row I've missed classes!_

I slumped my shoulders in dejected resignation.

_Well, at least I actually managed to show up this time..._

"I really caused trouble today, huh."

I quickly straightened and looked sharply over to the (apparently) still troubled teen who had (apparently) been at my bedside all day. He was definitely still torn up about it.

_Gadammit, Kaylin, why are you worrying about yourself right now? Just look at the kid!_

He still refused to meet my eyes and his good hand was clenching and unclenching on his knee. He looked like he kinda wanted to punch himself, honestly.

I bit my lip and furrowed my brows at him. "Have you been stewing there like that all day?" I was pretty sure there was worry evident in my voice.

Yamamoto blinked and laughed a little. "Well, I took three naps, I think, so no...not entirely..." He trailed off at the hard glare I threw at him and he laughed nervously before answering honestly. "After we carried you here, I talked to Tsuna for a little bit, and that helped me feel a lot better," he relented.

I squinted at him, scrutinizing. He shifted a little bit and _continued _to avoid looking at me.

My eye twitched and I took a deep breath. _Okay, glaring at him like he's done something unspeakable isn't going to help him feel any better, _I reasoned with myself. I let out the air I was holding in a long-suffering sigh and slapped my cheeks with both hands. When I stopped squishing my face I forced my expression to _not _be sharp.

You know what?

"Hey." Yamamoto finally looked up at my change of tone, question and caution in his expression. Christ, I made him reluctant to be here, didn't I?

I sighed one more time before continuing, "I'm...sorry that I was so mad and that...I said that I wanted to punch you in the throat..." I was pretty sure my cheeks flushed at that last part and I pulled on my braid self-consciously. "I was just -" I stomped my foot rather ineffectively on the cot - "you scared the crap out of me, you idiot!"

Though my words could be construed as harsh, the tone of my voice apparently was not, as Yamamoto only blinked at me in surprise.

"That's not how I usually am, okay? This was a very stressful circumstance, okay - I thought you were gonna freakin' die! _Speaking of which - _"

"I'm sorry, Kei-chan!"

He interrupted me mid-sentance and I stared with my mouth open for a second before I snapped it shut with a clack. He was looking at me with - were those puppy dog eyes? Was Yamamoto capable of such dastardly things?!

"Like I told Tsuna after we brought you here, I don't know what I was thinking."

_Wow,_ he looked like he still felt guilty as hell.

I pursed my lips. What does one say in this kind of situation?

"I didn't even consider the worry that I'd cause people..."

"Hey, hey, hey - it's over, now," I interrupted his train of thought before I could think about what to say any further - the words just tumbled out at this point. "Believe me when I tell you that regret and beating yourself up won't do anything to alleviate the guilt of past mistakes, nor will it do anything to make them right." I didn't think too much into that statement myself; it wasn't a place I wanted to return to.

Apparently it sounded a little too much like I was speaking from experience (which I was) and Yamamoto seemed to begin to catch on. I tried to stop _that_ train of his thought, too.

"Besides," I shrugged nonchalantly, "now you know. There are people around you that worry enough to kick your ass if you ever try something like that again. Though you seem to realize it by this point, I won't be able to sleep well tonight if I don't tell you: ..." I looked him pointedly in the eye and, to his credit, he didn't look away this time.

"Whatever you were thinking up there... you were wrong."

His eyes seemed to widen for a fraction of a second, a myriad of emotions flickered in his honey-caramel colored eyes. Then he broke into a grin. It struck me how this smile seemed so much more genuine than ones I've seen him sport in the past. Comparitively, his usual smiles seem to be for the benefit of those around him - which was genuine enough in itself, I supposed - but this smile seemed to be just because he wanted to. Just for himself, this time, because he was happy,

"Yeah. I know that, now."

* * *

><p>No later than three seconds after class was dismissed did Tsuna have Kaylin's bag in hand and the classroom behind him as he made his way to the infirmary. He was honestly surprised and concerned that neither Kaylin nor Yamamoto came back to class that day, even though it seemed like that's what was going to happen when Tsuna checked on them both at lunch.<p>

He got to his destination faster than the crowds hit the halls, surprisingly, so he wasted no time in peeking around the door. He was surprised to see that his caution was unecessary, however, as Kaylin was already up and leaning against the cot, tapping her foot impatiently. He jumped a little when Kaylin's metallurgic eyes snapped up at the possible intrusion.

"Oh, Tsuna!" Her gaze instantaneously softened and she smiled. Tsuna opened the door completely and stepped in after hearing a rustling that he saw was Yamamoto standing from the seat he'd stationed himself at all day.

"Yo, Tsuna!" The athlete greeted cheerfully with a little wave.

The shortest teen trotted over to his friends with mild concern in his eyes and didn't bother with a greeting. "Are you two feeling better?"

Kaylin glanced sidelong at Yamamoto with a raised eyebrow, a silent question in her eyes as she crossed her arms. The boy in question blinked at her before grinning sheepishly and rubbing the back of his neck with his good hand.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

The lone female nodded, satisfied. "Yeah," she echoed to Tsuna.

Tsuna smiled in relief before remembering what he had in his hands. He held Kaylin's bag out to her. Recognition lit the girl's eyes a second before something that looked like dread took its place.

**"Oh, god..."** she muttered in English, face having gone deathly pale. She reached for the bag with an almost shaking hand.

Yamamoto had tilted his head in question while Tsuna's brows scrunched up.

"What's wrong...?" The fuzzy one asked, suddenly wary.

"You should both back up for a minute," she warned instead of answering. Tsuna blinked in confusion but snapped to and heeded her, pulling Yamamoto with him by the sleeve.

"I don't know what's going on, but we should probably listen..." Tsuna told him with a look of dread of his own on his face.

Kaylin took a deep breath, bit her lip, squeezed one eye closed and took a ready position, hand hovering above the zipper of the bag, feet at a wide stance. The boys tensed in anticipation without really knowing why. That is, until Tsuna suddenly realized with a start what must have been in the bag.

Or should it be said "who?"

Had the poor thing been in that bag all day?!

Before he could say anything Kaylin ripped the zipper down and a blur of brown and gray shot out of the bag and zipped its way up the redhead's arm down the _front of her shirt._ The redhead yelped as an unknown bump zipped its way around her person and she had to slap a hand over her mouth to avoid unleashing what would undoubtedly be a scream loud enough to shatter glass and eardrums alike.

Kaylin almost immediately teared up as she struggled not to laugh like her life depended on it, cheeks already flushed a rather charming shade of pink. Her knees nearly buckled as she doubled over, and the boys could only gape at her shaking shoulders.

She stomped her foot as she had no choice but to cave.

"**I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry - **_ow ow OW!_ OW OW, HINA ST- my _ribs _**holy **_**shit - **_**I give, I give, I **_**said I was sorry **_**-" **Kaylin gasped and finally colapsed to her knees as the furry bundle of rodent shot out of her collar and onto her lap.

No one moved for a good five seconds before Kaylin shouted, **"I have never so much physically exerted myself in my entire **_**life**_**, you **_**twat!" **_The redheaded teen then proceeded to curse several times in three languages.

Of _course _she bothered to learn how to curse in Italian and Japanese.

Yamamoto suddenly burst out laughing while Tsuna only continued to gape.

And that was how Yamamoto met Hina.

* * *

><p><strong>Extra: (Because my fuckin' muse bailed on me, gadammit)<strong>

**Busted**

"Was that recklessness, or did you genuinely not know that that would happen?"

Reborn had cornered me after I got home from supper at Tsuna's. It's safe to assume that Nana was _not _informed of anything out of the ordinary happening that day. She would have mother hen'd me out of my damn mind, bless her. Reborn, on the other hand, had seen the entire thing, including me fainting like a sissy. Needless to say the "kid" wanted to know what the fuck happened back there.

"I _swear _to you that I had no idea that I'd use so much energy doing that." I plopped down at the kotatsu with two fresh mugs of coffee in my hands before sliding one over to Reborn, who immediately took a sip with a frown. I sighed and propped my head up with my hand under my chin. "**Fucking hell, **I'm exhausted," I muttered. "I didn't realize until how conservative I'm going to need to be with my energy. Although, in retrospect, I suppose it makes sense..."

Reborn took another sip of his esspresso. "I'd like to know why that happened," he simply stated.

I grimaced, not meeting his eyes and took a long gulp of scalding coffee. The baby noticed my hesitation.

"It might be important in the future, Kaylin. You have the potential to be a very important asset to Tsuna's family and I need to know your limits."

...Okay, fine. Fair enough.

Damn.

I sighed again and set down my coffee. "Like I said, I used up too much energy messing with the gravity like that - though I'm sure being physically strained for the first time in a couple years didn't freakin' help," I mumbled. I was ready to continue, but Reborn spoke up first.

"Is that what happened when you arrived at school when Gokudera confronted Tsuna?"

I stiffened and felt my eyes widen.

_Shit._

Don't panic. He's an ally, don't panic. Besides, you knew this would be brought up sooner or later...

"That -" My voice nearly cracked and I cleared my throat. "That...happens occasionally." I almost flinched as Reborn's frown turned into a scowl. "Okay, okay! Straight answers, sorry." Geez. I bit my lip and slapped my cheeks, trying to psyche myself up or something, I wasn't sure. "That day wasn't me running through too much energy. I over-exerted my lungs - " I patted my chest absent-mindedly. "I, um, I think they're a little raw or something." I shrugged self-consciously. "I've only been like this for a few months, and in that time I haven't really... been active, in any sense of the word. So, even I don't know what my new limits are."

Both Reborn and I took a sip of coffee, me squirming in my seat, Reborn silently contemplating, taking in the information I just presented him with. I imagine he had already guess much of this by now. He seemed to be thinking rather hard, which only made me even more nervous.

"For now," he broke the silence and made me jump. "For now, you should work on improving your stamina. Every day exercises for now."

I nodded cautiously. This guy...he's scheming something. There seemed to be a gleam in his eye - he's definitely scheming something. I swear, if he's planning on toying with my health...

...Of course not.

...Right?

...

Right?!

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there's that. Heads up, guys: I don't want to be one of those authors that makes simply uploading on time their top priority - it might work for some, but certainly not for me. I want to put out quality work for you guys; and for myself. That said, two weeks or so is probably about how often you should expect me to upload. The maximum time I think I'll allow myself to spend on a chapter.**

**I'm still getting into the flow of this fic. Gokudera and Yamamoto are out of the way introduction-wise, and next is Lambo, I think. Maybe him and Bianchi both, I'm still finding a balance between the manga and anime being channeled here. Any advice or suggestions about ANYTHING to do with this fic would be more than welcome, I think. As I don't have a beta, and get virtually no feedback.**

**ANY SUGGESTIONS would be fantastic. Seriously.**

**guys pls**

**Oh, and thanks to the five people that have reviewed so far! I so, SO thank you for taking the time to review.**

**Just to rehash these awesome guys out:**

**QuirkyKit, RubyRedSpiderLily (who has a KHR fic of her own, I believe), Choco-Latte64, MsNi98, and Kaore Ryu! You guys are the shit!**

**Anyhoo!**

**again guys pls gimme some feedback**

**Ciaossu!**


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